All That I'm Living For
by somewhereiusetobelong-inactive
Summary: Eydie, daughter to Merlin has been sent to kill Cynric, the Saxon prince. However she is a healer and seer, with a kind heart, which may prove to be problematic for Eydie in completing her mission and give the Saxons an advantage.
1. Chapter 1

**All That I'm Living For**

**Summary - **Eydie is Guinevere's younger sister and when Merlin sends her to assassinate Cynric, why can't she do it? Better yet, why won't he kill her?

**Rating - **M for violence, language, later chapters and adult situations.

**Genre - **Romance/Action/Adventure.

**Pairings - **Knight pairings, Arthur/Guinevere, Cynric/Eydie.

**Disclaimer - **I don't own anything except for Eydie and some other characters that are not recognised from the King Arthur. I merely own the story and some of the legends put into it.

* * *

**Chapter One**

The Woad village to the North of Hadrians Wall that overlooked the sea, near the ancient structure of Stonehenge awoke with the rising of the sun each and every morning. Children played with dogs, women washed or fletched arrows as they watched the children as the men of the village readied themselves for their missions. Of the younger women of the village stood out among all the others and it was in due part to the fact that she was sharpening swords for the armory and not washing clothes like the other girls her age. She did not have the strong appearance of a Woad; she had dark honey coloured eyes set in a soft heart shaped face which was framed by her long, thick, unruly dark hair that had slight flecks of blond scattered through it. Milky cream skin was barely covered by the leather clothing she wore that hugged her slim yet curvy figure.

"Daughter!" The young girl looked up at hearing her father's voice. Standing from where she had been cleaning the swords, she walked over to the weathered, aging man who sat before a fire burning in the very center of the village.

"Father," she said, kissing his cheek affectionately as she sat down. By the look on her father's face; a look which matched those of the elders around the fire with them. She looked from them to him. "What- What is wrong?"

"The Romans are leaving child, and now the Saxons are at our borders. Your sister has already started her journey, but now I need to call upon you. You must do something for your people, for me."

She nodded, watching as one of the woman put a bowl of dried fruit and bread down between her and her father. "What do you need to call upon me for?"

"There is a contingent of Saxon foot soldiers camped along the coast. They are under the command of the Saxon prince. His death may raise our people's spirits to fight in the impending war," he explained, looking around his village at his people.

Eydie was only sixteen springs old, she had never taken a life or even fought in real combat before, unlike her older sister Guinevere, but however the eldest child of Merlin and Nimue was already on a mission for their people.

Merlin also knew that his second daughter was determined to help her people no matter what the cost, and prove her worth. Her father knew this and he also knew that she would not disappoint him and he could trust that she would not back down for her duty.

"When shall I leave?" she asked, standing up when her father did.

"First you must ready yourself, Lukas has some things in the armory that you will need for your journey."

* * *

The armory was nothing more than a large hut when all the armour and weapons lay lined across some fur skins on the floor. As Eydie entered, she smiled at Lukas who greeted her as he fixed a strap of leather around the hilt of a short sword. "Your father told me of your mission. Come here." Eydie approached him and found Lukas picking up a small sheathed dagger.

He took hold of her forearm and strapped the thing to her.

"Quick and easy access should you need them. There are two more; one for your belt and the other for your..." he trailed off as he picked up a small dagger and carefully slipped it between her breasts, "Never know when it might come in handy."

She went red in the cheeks. Being only sixteen years of age meant that Eydie had never known a man and around them she was tentative and shy, quiet and reclusive. She could never understand why Guinevere had such fascination with them. Thanking Lukas, he told her he was not yet finished with her and lead her to the armour on the opposite side of the hut. Once he was done finding the right pieces for her, Eydie was left in a leather jerkin and pants. He also gave her a bow and quiver, despite her protests and her constant arguing that she was a terrible aim with one.

He silenced her. "Use it to take down the guards. They are large and slow, easy targets." He stepped back to inspect her. "I tried to adjust it to look a little similar to the Saxon armour, you can blend in a little then, at least I am hoping you shall. Now, you better go tell your father you're ready." She smiled and hugged him before leaving. The armour was awkward and nothing like she'd ever been in before. It may have been altered but it still would not blend her in much among a large group of Saxon foot soldiers. Her father met her halfway to their hut and said how much she looked like a warrior.

"The Saxon army has camped north of her and you should make it in two days, if you rest during the night," Merlin explained as he guided her towards the borders of the village. "Be safe, my child."

"Be safe father," she replied as she hugged him. Looking at the forest scenery in front of her. As she started walking she felt her heart jump into her throat. Even though she had to do this to protect her people, there was something pulling at her mind. It felt like this was the last time she would ever see her village, her family, her friends. Her home. She knew there was a risk of losing her life and it cause a shiver to rake down her spine.

_Calm down_ her mind told her. She could not be thinking like this when the moment of fulfilling her mission happened and thinking it from now until then would not aid her. Closing her eyes, she began counting to ten, trying to relax her mind. As she moved further into the forest, she felt her mind slipping into the region she'd once channelled the day after her mother had passed. Moving at a brisker pace, she readied her bow in case there were any wild animals out hunting.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Eydie had made record time she concluded after it only took her a day and a half in order to reach the Saxon camp grounds. She sat on a log, watching the fire built before her burn down slowly, the only sound she could hear was the crackling of the wood. A Saxon prince. A skilled warrior. She was a Woad princess. An amateur fighter at best. How was she going to kill him if he caught her? His strength would be, by far greater than hers which was what worried her most as she began to think about how she was going to fulfill her mission.

Should he capture her, who knew what could happen while she was his prisoner. She had some ideas but they were none too pretty for her to even think about in her mind. Right now wasn't the best of times to be worrying about things that might not happen though and Eydie scolded herself for doing so. Sighing, she traced the ornate blue tattoo on her forearm and remembered the day she had received the mark. Her mother, Nimue had done it in hopes of teaching her daughters they would be with her forever. She must have seen her fate in one of her visions for that was the last day they had seen her. Eydie had begun to have strange dreams lately. Every night, she lay in her bed and would suddenly see chaos everywhere; fire would pass across her eyes and she would always feel the heat of the flames as though they were real and the dark shadow of a man's face. The face was never revealed as in the moment in appeared she would awake in a cold sweat, terrified of the things she had seen.

"Mother, what is happening to me?" she whispered, looking up at the moon.

Something nearby caused a sound and before Eydie could reach for her ax, a Saxon grabbed her and pushed her to the ground. He was burly and most of his face was covered by a long, wild beard. She kicked out and it took only that one to send him falling onto his back. Rolling over, Eydie grabbed her ax and climbed to her feet. Before hesitation, before fear or before mercy could come to her, the young Woad princess brought the ax down into the man's skull. He dropped to the ground, the ax still embedded in him as Eydie fell to her knees. She looked down at where blood had spattered over her. The Saxon guard was the first man she had killed.

Eydie decided after she completed her mission, she refused to kill another man.

Putting the fire out, she grabbed her bow and headed in the direction of the tiny lights she could see in the distance. Camp fires.

* * *

He sat at one of the fires with his Captain and three guards.

"Prince Cynric!" The five men looked up as a guard that had been on watch ran over to them an ax in his hand. "Osric is dead." Standing up, the Saxon prince nodded to the guard, dismissing him as he took the ax. Abrecan, his Captain stood and watched as he turned the weapon over in one hand, inspecting it.

"Cynric, it was probably just Osric being reckless, like he always was," he reassured. Cynric nodded once again and walked towards his tent.

"Have my guards on duty, just in case there are any Sarmatian knights round," the prince said in reply, his voice heavily accented.

As he entered the tent, he felt something... someone, watching him from nearby but shook it off.

* * *

Eydie saw the guards and cursed her bad luck under her breath. Seeing most of the men were around the fires, she found it easy to crawl past them in the tree shrub and saw two men enter of the larger tents in the camp. She headed towards it and leaned against the material ever so gently, so she didn't push it inwards. Keeping to the shadows to stay hidden from the Saxon infantry as she listened in on the two men.

"Cynric, you risk angering your father if you don't follow his orders," one of the men said. So the prince was in the tent. Pulling the dagger from between her breasts, she pierced the cloth. Dragging the weapon down, she pulled the small hole open and looked inside.

The two men sat around some maps that were scattered across the ground, near the fire burning in the center of the room.

"I know. But, she seemed so real... so vivid. It may have been a dream, but it was not normal and means something," the second man said with a sigh. He looked to be much younger than the first man, and large furs and leather covered his body. Eydie gathered he was the prince since the voice earlier hadn't come from him.

Upon first glance at the man, Eydie found it hard to actually decided on what she though about him. She in truth should hate him beyond words but he was doing her people a deed by driving the Romans from Briton much faster than they originally intended to leave.

Eydie couldn't study people well but by looking at him, she guessed he was no older than twenty-seven summers or winters, maybe a few years onto that for all she knew. "Well, so long as you know what you're doing. Don't do anything to jeopardize your rank. He does not give second-in-command to just anyone, even his own son."

As Eydie watched the older man leave the tent, her body felt like it was being held down by some unnatural force, keeping her still as he walked by where she was crouched. From the corner of her eye, she could see him, but he could not see her, for she was covered in mud, dirt and paint, blending her into the night.

She turned back to the other man within the tent walls and found him turning to look directly where she was as she wobbled on her feet slightly. Seeing him meet her gaze, at least she gathered he had, Eydie retreated back into the thick shrubs as he moved towards the animal skin flap to leave the tent. Eydie watched, her heart pounding in her chest and ears heating up as she felt her fear rise.

He appeared from round the corner of the tent and she covered her mouth with one hand to try and silence her breathing and not make a noise. He bent down where she had been and fingered the cut in the tent wall. She heard him chuckle before he looked up as a guard appeared from nearby.

"Is everything alright, your highness?" It was him. Good.

"Yes." He straightened up and looked directly at where she was crouched in the shrub. She prayed he couldn't see her. She hoped to the Mother Goddess that he couldn't. He was grinning, as if he knew that she actually was there. How would he know she was here? No human has that type of eyesight in the dark. "Return to your post. We wouldn't want that scout to kill any more of the men."

Eydie cringed as she saw him raise the object he held in his hand. It was her ax. When she had been in shock after killing the Saxon, she hadn't remembered to retrieve it from his body. Turning after what felt like an eternity, he walked back to the front of the tent, leaving Eydie somewhat confused and shocked.

He knew she had been there, but then why hadn't he grabbed her?

Shaking her head, she returned to her position at the side of the tent and peered inside. She would have to wait until he was asleep. The sight that Eydie found placed before her eyes made her stop and stare, almost like the girls would in her village whenever Orpheus came to talk with Merlin.

The prince had unbuckled the leather strapping on his armour and removed the furs from his shoulders, showing Eydie -whose hope of completing this mission now diminished- just how large this man was; broad shoulders, a wide back and muscle made him seem like a giant imposing figure.

Not tall for her age or strong, Eydie now understood why Guinevere, who was a head and a half clear of her, always mocked her with names like weakling or runt.

Bringing her attention back to the Saxon, she found him pulling his tunic over his head. With his back to her, all Eydie could do was watch as his muscles tightened and flexed at the movement. He was every bit the strong warrior that she wasn't. In only his breeches the man bent down and picked up a silver goblet. By her reckoning, he could've been the king to her from his appearance. His head was shaven but he retained a braided sandy coloured beard, symbolizing he was a man.

She had been told that most men of the Saxon tribes did not shave their beards for that reason and those who did were either in banishment or had dishonored their lord.

This man was a prince and well he was... handsome for a Saxon. The men of her village would not have agreed with her. Instead they would have been throwing out insults that he was nothing more than the bastard son of a whore and that he could not best any of them. Eydie had looked away to check the guards placings round the encampment and as she turned back she found him laying back on furs and covered by two of them, his eyes shut.

After a few minutes, he rolled onto his stomach, his head turned away from her. Eydie saw this as her opportunity and moved towards the front of the tent.

No guards stood watch within sight; they would be spread further out now into the forest, guarding the camp from the night's creatures.

And rest of the infantry would all be with tents, sheltering themselves from the coming winter cold that rushed across the land at the peak of the night.

It was perfect.

Slipping into the tent, she turned to face the man sleeping on the furs. Stepping towards where he lay, she nearly yelped when her foot met the blade of a dagger lying on the ground, but quickly clamped a hand over her own mouth, eyes watering as she lifted her foot off the blade. Looking down, she nudged the blade away and noticed the maps scattered on the ground. The markings were nothing like she had seen before. Was this where they came off, or was this Briton to a Saxon's eyes?

She had never learned how to read maps, Guinevere had, but Eydie had preferred to learn how to heal than learn about maps. Rolling one of them up, she failed to notice the Saxon move slightly off to her right.

His face was turned away from hers and so she never saw the small smirk pull at the supposedly sleeping man's lips as he had been awoken by the sounds of Eydie moving around. Quiet was not something she did well unless utterly focused on doing it. Putting the map into the quiver on her back, she pulled the dagger from her belt and approached the man, limping and trying to stifles the cries at the pain that shot through her foot as she put her weight onto it, leaving behind her a trail of bloody footprints.

Kneeling down awkwardly, she raised the dagger up, only to have a hand grab her wrist suddenly. The man sat up and in one fluid motion had Eydie pinned to the floor beneath his weight. She struggled to break free and heard him laugh coldly in reply.

"So my would-be assassin is no more than an innocent little girl." Ceasing her struggle a little as he spoke in his language, Eydie raised her eyes to meet a pair of cold, empty and ice-blue ones.

It was strange, trying to understand such a language and Eydie wanted to know what he said. She gathered it hadn't been nice. He was Saxon. They were not nice by nature.

His stare caused her to look away and try to pull her hands free from were he had them now pinned above her head in one of his and had taken the dagger from her grip. He held it against her throat and watched as she swallowed thickly and breathed in raggedly. The animal skin flap that served as a door was suddenly pushed back and the man who had been in the tent earlier rushed in, followed by two guards.

The Saxon above her, lifted himself from her and it was only then that she saw he wasn't wearing anything at all. A deep red tinge grew on her cheeks as her lack of knowledge of men and things of that liking had her embarrassed. He must have either seen her face for he picked up a thin fur and wrapped it around his waist. Grabbing her by the arm, he roughly dragged her to her feet. "Who are you?" he demanded, this time in the language of what the Romans spoke. Most Woads has learned the language as children from her generation due to the vast growth of them over those few years. A Saxon knowing the language though she had never heard of it. It was broken speech too, almost half Saxon and half Roman. Making it hard to understand him.

Eydie lowered her eyes to the ground and kept silent. He tugged on her arm and gripped it more tightly, re-asking the question, only for Eydie to just keep silent.

He leaned down to her suddenly and whispered harshly, "Answer me now or you'll regret it!"

Inexperienced she may have been, fool she was not. She knew exactly what he meant be that and her eyes went wide in shock, fright taking over her better judgment as he let her go and turned round to face the three Saxon men who had joined them. Quickly reaching out, Eydie grabbed hold of his arm to stop him from barking a command at them. He looked down at where she had hold of him and then up to her face, the look was enough to make Eydie let him go. Seeing him about to say something, Eydie spoke one syllable in hopes of biding just a little more time. "I..."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

He looked at the small Woad girl, watching as her mouth opened and closed a few times before she finally kept it shut after another minute of silence. "Speak!" he growled to her. She had no one to help her; his men were loyal, they would do whatever he asked of them, including torture and kill a girl like the one who had just attempted to assassinate him.

"Eydie," she said softly, so even he had trouble understanding her at first. "My name is Eydie."

"Eydie," he repeated, letting the name roll of his tongue. She spoke Latin well for such a young looking Woad. "Who sent you? Merlin?" he questioned.

"Cynric, she's hurt," Abrecan, his lieutenant remarked in Saxon and Cynric turned to face the girl, looking her over before noticing the way she was not putting one foot down. He sighed in frustration and dismissed the three men, the two guards left knowing that she was in no condition to get away easily from anyway. "Do you want me to find the healer?"

"No, she can fix it herself, I'm sure," he replied, noticing the look of wonder on her face as they spoke in Saxon and not Latin. He smirked. She was probably trying to decipher what they were saying.

Cynric pushed her to the ground and threw a bandage and some cloth at her. He half watched her as she edged close to the fire, using it light as she removed her boot with extreme caution, the dried blood sticking the boot to her skin round the wound. She seemed to be half watching him just like he was her. It amused him to no end and made him grin slightly as he sat down near the fire. "Who sent you on such a foolish mission?" He watched her look up at him from beneath long eyelashes before turning back to looking after her foot.

He watched as she finally got her boot off and noticed the blood covering her foot before looking at her face, waiting for her to speak. "Can I please have a cloth?" Please? She had just asked him as though he was going to give it to her so simply.

She looked much younger than him, not even over the age of nineteen if that and he'd dealt with women quite a bit in his lifetime, he knew how to get what he wanted while giving them what they asked for. Smirking, he spoke: "Answer my question, and yes."

Cynric saw the look in her eyes made it seem like she was debating with herself. He had already decided it was Merlin who had sent her. The old _wizard_ probably did not realize that Saxons were not entirely stupid. But he wanted to hear her confirm it. "Merlin sent me," she told him. He stood, one hand holding fast the fur about his waist.

He found a cloth and threw it over to her before noticing the bowl of water beside where the cloth had been. Rolling his eyes at realizing the wound may get infected and that she may be of use to him alive, he grabbed the bowl. Sitting down in reach of her foot, he took the cloth from her hand and dampened it. She hissed and tried to pull her foot from his grip when he first started cleaning the wound, but he held her fast, enjoying her pain.

"Be still!" he ordered. Watching her from the corner of his eye, Cyrnic saw her bottom lip trembling and grinned.

Terrified women were what he dealt with best. They were always so easy to manipulate. This girl had other qualities that made her weak though, she was young and clearly innocent.

So why, of all people, would Merlin send a girl to do something that she clearly couldn't do. Shaking his head at his own musing, Cynric discarded the cloth and picked up the bandage. She must feel like a frightened animal currently. One minute, you're the hunter and the next you're the prey but when you're captured prey it makes things a little more interesting for the captor to play games. "Apart from the watchman you've never killed before, have you?" He saw her nod slowly. Moving her foot from his lap when he had finished he got up and moved away. "Then why send you? A mere child." He was truly in wonder as to what Merlin had going on in his head to do such a thing. After a few minutes, he sighed and turned to face her. "Well, until I see fit to release you, you're my prisoner."

"Which will be never," she replied heatedly. He smiled coldly back at her in reply.

"You're afraid of me," he mused, not intending for it to be a question at all. "Don't worry, little one. I don't mix with Woads, like Rome probably does. However in this case..."

She took a step back when he made to grab her arm. "Keep away from me!" she snapped. Cynric stopped and regarded the girl before him. She was pretty, for a Woad. He looked her over and realized that without the Woad paint and mud, she would look like any normal girl, maybe a Saxon girl even, if she had blue eyes and not brown.

The girl from his dreams. The thought halted Cynric's entire train of thought. The one who had entered his tent, was it this girl? He'd had it every night since they had landed on this island and he remembered it so vividly, because it haunted his thoughts of a day.

_He had been sleeping. A white bandage was wrapped around his mid-section. The sound of someone coming into the tent, roused him from his light, painful filled sleep. A figure stepped inside and gently lowered the animal skin flap, seeming to not notice the man as he sat up. In his mind, he asked the question, "Who are you?" That question never escaped his lips though._

_"Cynric," she said, almost tenderly to him as though worried about him. The shadowy figure, that normally held no liking to anyone, stepped past the fire in center of the small tent and Cynric found it had changed and morphed itself into Eydie, his would-be assassin. Cynric managed to get up slightly from laying down, his stomach in extreme pain. She stopped before him, her small body illuminated by the light of the fire. _

_"I..." his voice disappeared as her hands moved up to the ties of her clothing. He swallowed thickly, almost as though he was seeing a lover for the first time, as the young girl's clothes fell to the floor in a pool at her feet and she moved to straddle his body, easing him back down onto the furs underneath him. Cynric didn't understand what was happening as she leaned down, pressing soft full lips against his, drawing a low moan from him._

Cold steel pressed into his neck, rousing him back to the present. He had been so wrapped up in remembering the dream, that he hadn't noticed Eydie retrieve the dagger from the floor and place it to his throat. "Do it," he urged. She pressed the weapon harder into his neck. A small trail of blood slipped down his neck from where she had nicked his skin. He took hold of her arms and pulled her close, so they were only an inch or so away from one another.

The look within her eyes was enough to convince Cynric and he slowly took the weapon from her grip. "Why can't you kill me?" Eydie just shook her head and made to pull away from him but he only tightened his grip on her wrist. "Why? Why can't you kill me?" he demanded.

"Because I... I..." she stammered. Cynric wrapped an arm about Eydie's waist, so that her arm was behind her back and the dagger pressed into her skin, forcing the girl to step closer into his arms to avoid being cut.

"Do I have to force an answer out of you, Eydie?" he questioned. She only responded by pushing against his chest.

"I killed that guard in self-defence," she answered when he growled at her, refusing to release her. "I've never killed before then."

He released her and picked up a trinket from near the fire, pulling it over his head and letting it drop onto his neck, watching it swing slightly before stopping. The black orb set in silver was something he rarely ever went without. "Rest. This camp leaves at first light and you are a Saxon prisoner, girl. So get use to it," he remarked, moving over to the furs. "No one is going to carry you."

"Is this how you treat all your prisoners?" she asked, moving to look at a shield resting on the wall. Cynric climbed into the bed of furs after dropping the one fur about his waist to the ground, causing her to turn her eyes away, making him grin.

"No, but you're very... valuable to me... for the moment," he answered. She nodded and walked over to him.

"Do I sleep outside, or in here- with you?" Cynric looked at her crudely for a moment but thought against what he was originally going to say to her.

"There are some furs on the other side of the tent. Sleep on them," he ordered, rolling onto his stomach. Eydie nodded at him, her eyes downcast. He watched her move towards the furs, Eydie laid down and curled up beneath it, using a second for beneath her head.

* * *

Cynric awoke in the very early hours of the morning. Sweat covered him and as he tried to slow down his rapid breathing, his gaze traveled to the Woad girl sleeping nearby. Pushing the furs back, he grabbed his breeches and pulled them on. Walking over to her, he knelt down and watched as she rolled onto her back. He lifted a strand of her dark hair and noticed that small bits of blond ran through it. Sighing as his better nature got the _better_ of him, he carefully slipped his arms beneath her knees and behind her shoulders. Standing up, he carried her over to the warmer side of the tent and lowered her down onto the furs.

She would be a lot easier to deal with if she had some trust in him. His pity was his curse. Unlike his father, Cynric felt pity for people. The sound of trouble outside drew his attention and he looked up as Abrecan entered, carrying a boy struggling to get free.

Abrecan opened his mouth to speak, but Cynric silenced him. Standing up, he walked over to his lieutenant and the boy who Abrecan set on his feet."We couldn't control him, he killed one of the guards with a dagger he'd stolen," the lieutenant said quietly, paying mind to the sleeping Woad. "We can put him in the wagon. And put the girl with him tomorrow, they're both Woads."

Cynric looked at the small child as Abrecan released him. The boy misjudged Cynric for being slow and made to run towards Eydie who slowly roused at hearing voices close by, only to be grabbed roughly by the arm. "Let princess Eydie go!"

Eydie sat up suddenly as the boys words registered and noticed Cynric look over his shoulder at her, a smirk on his face. Princess Eydie. Merlin would send his own daughter on a mission that she could not complete. "Princess Eydie," he said in a slow drawl. "Abrecan, you're dismissed. I can handle these two." He released the boy, who ran over and latched onto his sister.

* * *

"Are you alright?" she whispered in questioning. "Father told you not to run off." Eydie saw Cynric look at her curiously as he approached them. She'd spoken to Wulf in Woad so that Cynric could not understand her. "What are you going to do to us?"

"Nothing, for the moment princess," he replied emphasizing the word _princess_ as he kept his back to them. "What is your name boy?"

Eydie looked at her brother and then to the Saxon Lord's back. The strong muscles of his back were visible by the way he was sitting and Eydie swallowed heavily, not only fear got to her this time. Some other strange feeling had arisen.

* * *

Cynric stared hard into the fire. Princess Eydie. He thought he had remembered the name from somewhere. She was the daughter of Merlin, the middle child of three. So this boy must be the third child? Guinevere was said to be beautiful, tall and fair. Eydie was not well known for as far as the scout had divulged she was just a healer. So he now held the lives of two children of Merlin in his hands.

"Wulf."

Cynric nodded and stood up. "Sleep. You're safe. As long as you stay in here," he remarked. Wulf sneered as Cynric turned to look at them. The Saxon laughed in reply and suddenly found the two small Woads tackling him to the ground. He managed to grab Eydie by the waist and rolled her beneath him as he shoved the Wulf away. A dagger pressed against her neck and she watched Wulf freeze as he tried to get up. "That wasn't the best of ideas."

Eydie looked up at him, eyes wide in shock. "Let my brother go. He has not done a thing wrong." She struggled to get free and then her vision suddenly went dark. Cynric shouted for his guards. A few seconds later, Abrecan and two guards rushed in. Wulf was restrained and Abrecan dismissed the guards, instructing them to lock him in the wagon they'd made into a cage that they had found in the village that had been destroyed upon landing in Briton.

"Do you want me to take girl?" Cynric looked at his lieutenant and then down to Eydie, who shifted and brought her knee up unexpectedly into his groin. Cynric groaned in pain and his jaw tightened just before he fell back down beside her. Abrecan watched as she pushed Cynric's arm off her and rolled away from him.

"Get her... out of my sight, right now!" he ordered. The lieutenant nodded quickly as he grabbed Eydie's arm and lifted her up into his arms, knowing her injured foot would only slow him down.

* * *

Eydie shivered as the cold, winter night air rushed against her. Many of the fires were out and most of the men were in their tents, but a few guards occasionally looked up at the sight of their Captain carrying a Woad girl, who seemed to appear from nowhere in their camp.

"You are lucky; he did not kill you for that." Eydie remained silent, he was right. It could have cost her, her life but right now she couldn't give a damn. She hated them and didn't want anyone to think she would trust them just because they had let her live so far.

* * *

Cynric lay on his back near the fire. He was still sore but something else had made him to keep her in the tent and punish her. Something that he had gone against, knowing that he was letting his anger get the better of him. Rolling onto his side, he watched the fire dancing before his eyes. The flames twisted and formed a small, fiery like nymph and he sat up, rubbing his eyes as he groaned and felt his head begin to throb. The Woad girl seemed to be more trouble than he had first thought she would be. So why did he have the hypnotic as the black color shifted half into white and the two began to swirl together.

* * *

Eydie looked down at Wulf who lay sleeping in her arms. His soft even breathing was calming her fiery nerves. But, why was she so edgy? Cynric was the reason behind her edginess. He was like a thorn in her side, just as she assumed that he was probably thinking the exact same thing about her. The sound of someone outside drew her attention and it roused Wulf from his sleep. Someone stepped into the cage/wagon and moved towards where they were resting in the back.

"Eydie?" Cynric's voice made her tense. She eased Wulf away, waking him up as Cynric knelt down in front of the two young Woads, his gaze trained on Eydie mainly. She watched as he reached out for her hand, only to have Wulf move closer to his sister, a glare on his face. Cynric grinned and pulled, easing himself down onto the floor. "Would you kill to protect your sister?" Wulf nodded straight away, his eyes never once moving off the Saxon. "I'll do something for you," he started. Eydie didn't look at her younger brother, but kept her eyes on the Saxon prince.

What would he do that was nice for them? Nothing.

"What will you?"

"Keep her here. She'll be safe. So long as you go back to your village," he interrupted, pointing a finger at Wulf. Wulf shook his head, wrapping his arms tightly around his sister. Cynric held his hand out to Eydie.

"No. You'll hurt her if I go." Eydie eased Wulf off her and slowly extended her hand out, trying to assess the situation he was laying before them. There would be no way of getting out of this, and Cynric had probably thought about every possible scenario before coming up with this one. She withdrew her hand in the last second and looked at him.

"Let Wulf go and I'll stay as your prisoner," she said. Cynric looked between the two Woads and then moved his gaze to the entrance when someone opened it. A young guard stood in the doorway, shifting nervously.

"What is it, boy?" he asked.

"The Lieutenant wishes to speak with you," he replied hastily. Cynric stood and ordered him to do something but Eydie couldn't understand because he said it in Saxon. Whatever he had told the young guard to do, made the boy stumble inside as Cynric left them alone.

The Saxon guard looked at Eydie with a cruel smirk and she immediately lowered her gaze. Wulf sat curled up away from her on the opposite side of the cart, his back to the guard. Eydie edged back when the guard's gaze started to linger too long on her for comfort and grabbed the fur from the floor, dragging it up over her, pretending she was cold. Wulf glanced over his shoulder and saw the look the guard had. Even at thirteen, he knew exactly what was going through the Saxon's head.

_"Eydie."_ She looked at her little brother when she heard him call her. The guard sat down near the front of the wagon, his gaze still on Eydie. _"We can get him. I'll distract him and you knock him out."_

Nodding in agreement, despite her wariness to do so she watched as her brother began to kick at the walls of their cage trying to gain the man's attention. It seemed to work, for the guard stood up and moved towards Wulf, his sword drawn. Eydie got to her feet and edged herself around, so she stood behind the guard. He didn't seem to notice her change in position and she took the opportunity to jump onto his back, trying to keep tight grip on him and bring him to the ground.

Wulf was within distance of the guard's sword, but while he held it and tried to pull Eydie off him, the sword was being swung about, making it a dangerous situation for the thirteen year old to be near. _"Wulf don't,"_ she warned.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Cynric stood near his tent, a fur wrapped around his shoulders, shielding him from the cold weather. Sighing, he looked at the necklace once again and he felt his blood heat up as he remembered earlier on. He made to throw the chain and pendant away; only a hand caught his wrist just before he was able to rid himself of the trinket. Looking at his lieutenant, Cynric pulled a face at him as Abrecan placed his free hand on the prince's shoulder. "Do you think that is a good idea?"

The prince scowled this time and shrugged the older man's hand off. "I don't care for meaningless little trinkets." Abrecan shook his head, pulling the chain from his lord's hand, wondering what had riled him up so quickly.

"What did it do?"

"It... It doesn't matter," Cynric retorted, his words quick and sharp. He turned his attention back to the forest beyond, his eyes staring into the forest as though he could see through it and onto the lands beyond it.

Shouts drew both Abrecan and Cynric to turn round and look for the source. It was coming from where Eydie and Wulf were being kept. Before Abrecan could say anything, Cynric took off in the direction of the commotion. Abrecan heaved a sigh and followed him, curious to know what was happening, but also wanting to know why Cynric was so quick to react to the noise when earlier he clearly didn't want anything to do with the two Woads.

Cynric made to climb into the make-shift cage only to have two bodies fall on top of him, knocking him to the ground. Abrecan noticed Eydie and her little brother, however it was the look on the Woad girl's face that he realised something was wrong. Cynric managed to push the two small bodies off him and sit up on his elbows, looking up at the guard who appeared. He grabbed Eydie's arm and made her face him, but let her go when he saw the horrified look on her face. Looking down at Wulf, Cynric saw the blood covering the boys' chest and stood up, turning sharply to face the guard. "What happened here?" he demanded.

"I... uh... I..." the guard stammered out, not being able to come up with a clear answer. Eydie turned her eyes away from her little brother's body and up to the guard. Without giving many a chance to react, she climbed to her feet and lunged for the guard, only to have Cynric wrapped an arm around her quickly, just saving the guard who fell back onto the steps of the cage, just avoiding Eydie grabbing hold of him.

"You killed him!" she shouted, trying to fight against Cynric to get to him.

"Don't! Whatever you do to him; it won't bring your brother back," he told her, leaning his head in close to hers as she bit her lower lip, clearly fighting the tears that were sliding down her cheeks while trying to get out of his grip. Cynric rested his head against hers as he slid his other arm around her. She slowly relaxed into his grip and he was the only thing holding her up it seemed as she leaned her weight onto him.

Cynric knew many of his men would be staring in confusion as the raised shouts had drawn some from their tents. But Abrecan quickly sent them all back to their business, knowing his lord was only following his better nature- again.

* * *

Eydie just stared down at Wulf's body, not wanting to believe what had happened. She felt Cynric pull his head back from hers. Abrecan lifted the small boy up into his arms. One tear slid down her cheek before she turned and buried her face into Cynric's shirt, not wanting to look at her little brother's lifeless body.

She drew in a ragged breath as she felt the arms around her tighten. Remembering every moment of what had happened from when Cynric had come into their prison, she and Wulf trying to kill the guard, Wulf being stabbed and all up to when she and her brother had fallen into Cynric.

Eydie froze, Cynric was holding her. She pushed against him. He however, wouldn't let her go.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he said. Looking up at him, Eydie suddenly brought her hand up, her palm connecting solidly with his cheek. He looked down at her, scowling and Eydie swallowed. He looked ready to kill her. "I've had enough of you hitting me! Do it again and..."

She did.

Hitting him was the only thing she could find to put her anger into. The second time however, she managed to get free of his grip. Looking at the now scowling Saxon, she realized that he truly was ready to murder her for disobeying him.

Turning, she raced as best as she could for the forest line and noticed with a grim, dismal expression that her foot was once again bleeding.

* * *

The soldiers within sight of Cynric made to follow the girl, only to have their him stop them with a hand signal. "No. I'll get her back," he remarked, heading in the direction Eydie had gone.

She collapsed against a tree after a few minutes of running, her foot now throbbing heavily in pain. She jerked in surprise when she heard Cynric calling out to her, asking her to stop and think.

"You're soldier killed my brother! Why should I stop and think?" she shouted out in response. Cynric stopped, hoping that he had caught up to her, and she was close by. He grinned as an idea came to him.

"Would you leave your baby brother's body in the hands of his murderer?" Silence met him, and he strained his hearing, trying to listen for Eydie's heavy breathing or something that sounded like her. "I'm not as nice as you may think. I'll do things you can't even imagine to his body, and my men... well, just think of the fun they'll be planning when I tell them you left his body."

He found a patch of blood, showing him just where she had been and he found more silence meeting him, but then a noise caught his attention. Following it, he found Eydie curled up against the base of a tree. Crouching low in the brushes, he watch her for a minute. She was cowering against the tree, hoping that it would in someway hide her from him. Sighing heavily, Eydie wiped away the fresh tears that were falling now and rested back against the tree, looking up at the early morning sky.

"Why did you have to curse me with the dreams? I don't want to kill. I want them to leave Briton, why can't he take Rome instead? At least then, they would all be gone from Briton," she said to the heavens, seeming to expect someone to answer. Cynric looked at her, tilting his head to the side as he studied her innocence. She had killed only once -and that was in defence- she couldn't kill him, because it went against her nature, what did she do that was worthwhile?

"Why do you try and hide? The clothes you wear make you too easy to spot."

He turned sharply, expecting someone to be standing behind him. No one was there. Shaking his head, he turned back around, only to have a bare foot connect with his jaw. Groaning, he fell onto his back and watched as Eydie appeared through the bushes to stand over him.

"You shouldn't move so quickly. You give yourself away," she told him.

He looked up at her, rubbing his jaw and only just noticed that despite the situation -him lying on his back with her above him- she was smiling. At what? Probably, his stupidity.

* * *

"Don't make fun of me. I'm not a fool." Eydie watched him stand up and she backed away upon remembering that she had hit him. "I'm not going to attack you, if that's what you're thinking."

Well, he might not be going to attack her, but was she still able to trust him? He had Wulf's body and only the mother goddes knew what he would do if she did runaway. "What will you do to Wulf's body, if I do as you say?" she questioned.

Cynric stiffened slightly as something sharp pressed into his back. Eydie noticed and tried to see what was happening, but Cynric's larger frame blocked whatever was there from her line of vision.

"Eydie. Come here," he ordered. She shook her head and he looked over his shoulder.

* * *

Standing, with an ax and short sword in hand was a young Woad warrior. He was thin and very scrawny compared to Cynric's body. He said something in Woad and Cynric noticed Eydie move forward at that. The weapon was pushed harder into Cynric's back. Glowering in annoyance at both Eydie and the young Woad warrior, Cynric turned sharply and grabbed the ax from what he could see now -with the help of the moonlight- was a boy no more than a year or two older than Eydie.

"Sneaking up on a Saxon warrior, are we? Not one of the best ideas when you don't know how to hold a weapon properly." The boy looked up at Cynric for a moment, before turning and running back to wherever he had come from. He laughed at the boy. As he turned to face her, he twirled the ax in his hand before pointing it in the direction behind her. "Back to camp."

Eydie shifted her gaze to the ax, shaking her head. He grabbed her arm and pulled her roughly to him, using his height to threaten her.

"Do as I say!" he demanded. Looking down at her, Cynric searched her eyes, trying to find the fear that had been there earlier.

There was only a brief flash before it was masked to show defiance. His eyes moved to her lips which she licked. Whether it was her shaking nerves or his intimidation that made her lips feel dry. Cynric looked back into her eyes for just a second before he lowered his mouth to meet hers.

* * *

Eydie froze; not believing what the Saxon was doing. At first, her mind screamed for her to push him away, a second later it warned her that he could kill her if she did and then started begging her to let him keep kissing her.

Cynric's mouth was warm against hers and the kiss didn't seem forceful. No, this one was... soft; she'd never been kissed so she could not actually judge the kiss. After a few seconds, Eydie timidly reached up and wrapped an arm around Cynric's shoulder, her small fingers resting against the nape of his neck.

* * *

Her mouth was soft and hot, not cold and unwelcoming like he had first thought it would be. Air started to become in need and Eydie pulled back and looked at the ground as Cynric stepped forward, pushing her back into the tree behind her. He slammed the ax into the trunk, making Eydie jump in fright and look at the weapon imbedded into the tree beside her head.

"Tell me something, princess," he started one of his arms resting against the tree while the other took hold of her hip, pinning her to the tree. Eydie looked up at him and he saw her swallow, watching her neck tense. "Do you think your people will truly survive? Rome? My people? The future? All seem so determined to destroy your culture."

Eydie didn't know how to answer the question. Better yet, she didn't understand why he was asking her. "Yes," she answered, finally deciding that she loved her people more than she did fate. Cynric smirked.

Slavery would never suit this girl. Underneath the innocence was a strong woman, waiting to be revealed -but, what would it take to bring it out? Was he truly thinking that she would be in his company long enough to find out? Once his father heard of her being in the camp, she would more than likely be killed.

"You don't realize how strong Saxons are, do you?" he said.

"Well, you are not that strong. You're being nice to me, and we're supposed to be enemies," she countered, managing to push him away. "You are more strength than you are brains." Cynric watched her and noticed that she was shaking, and it was no wonder why -the winter air grew icy cold during the night in Briton and could be lethal. "My people are stronger than you think. We have survived Rome, Arthur and his knights; we will survive you."

He began to laugh seeming to find her words funny. He grabbed her arm and pulled her to him, trapping Eydie within his arms, against the tree.

"You speak as if you are a seer," he said to her. Eydie glanced at him, keeping her hands against his chest to stop him from advancing. "For only such a person would know the future."

Eydie heard something nearby and jumped, stepping closer to Cynric. Abrecan stepped into his lord's view, grinning slightly.

"It is truly easy to track you little one, you left trails of blood across the ground," he remarked. Cynric chuckled at his Captain's words and Eydie shoved him away.

He stopped laughing and looked at her, seeing her seething with anger.

"Remember your brother's body," he warned, when she showed him the dagger that she had taken from his belt.

Her head began to spin. Whether it was from the blood loss again or the events, she didn't know, but her eyes rolled back into her head and she collapsed. Cynric caught her, before she fell to the ground.

Lifting her up, he began carrying her back to camp. "You know I saw what you did," Abrecan pointed out.

"You saw me do what?" Cynric asked, looking up at the much larger man.

Looking at his lord and then to the young girl cradled in the other man's arms, he spoke: "I saw you kiss her."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Eydie felt something warm touch her cheek and realized it was someone's hand. The touch was gentle, but calloused. A warrior's hand. When she started to open her eyes the hand disappeared. A dull throb ran up the back of her calf from where her ankle had been re-bandaged tightly with clean padding and dressing. Looking up, she found a blurry figure sitting beside her. Slowly her vision cleared and she found Cynric watching her. As she looked around, Eydie became aware that she was back in his tent with only Cynric present. She shivered when the breeze met her arms due to the animal skin flap opened to allow the morning breeze to rush through.

Cynric looked outside where his men walked past the tent, packing away the many things they would need for the next camp.

"We're leaving. Can you walk, without complaining?" Eydie looked at him, then down to where her foot was hidden beneath the furs. She then felt the brush of the blanket against her bare thighs as she moved, and realised that she had been undressed by someone.

Cynric grinned at seeing how uncomfortable she was in her present situation.

"Who undressed me?" demanded the young Woad.

Abrecan entered with a pile of clothes in his arms, before stopping when he saw Eydie was awake and trying to keep her dignity in tack. He looked at Cynric, who merely turned to grin at him, clearly enjoying Eydie's discomfort.

"I managed to find some clothes, but they may be a little too big for her."

"They'll be fine," replied Cynric as he stood up while Abrecan nodded and set the clothes down near the furs. Cynric watched him leave before looking at the young girl and then to his where his armour covered his chest.

He stood up and Eydie grew scared a little at his build up close when covered in the Saxon armour and furs.

"You can dress in here, but be quick about it. Understood?"

Eydie nodded hurriedly. Once Cynric had left and the animal skin had covered the entrance, she crawled over to the clothes and began to dress. Abrecan had been right in assuming the clothes would be too big. Eydie could barely even hold the pants up - they were three times her wide- and she grimaced when they continued to slid down her hips. Hands covered hers, startling her. The shirt, thankfully, was small enough that it did not dwarf her small frame. "I think your own pants will do."

It was Cynric. Turning her head, she looked at him and slipped from his grip. "Then I would like my clothes back."

He motioned to the pile of clothes in a corner of the tent. "You aren't what I'd expect from a princess, ya know that?" he said as she stepped behind him and pick up her breeches.

"I guess a Saxon princess is sweet, docile and obedient." replied Eydie sarcastically. He chuckled and shook his head.

"My mother was never sweet, docile or obedient." His voice was grim.

Eydie glanced at the his back pulled her blood stained breeches up her legs. After she had done them up, Eydie approached Cynric from behind.

"Was she a fighter?"

A nod confirmed her question. "Amazon. He took her when they raided the northern tribes of Sarmatia, first queen and only queen to be born from another place. I was seven when she died."

Suddenly, as if coming out of a daze, Cynric realized what he was saying. He turned sharply and took Eydie by the arm. "Repeat a word of what I said, and I'll kill you."

"You can't scare me with empty threats, not anymore," she spat in reply and tried pushing him away. He muttered something under his breath before drawing her close and kissing her heatedly.

"Speak a word of this to anyone, Eydie and I'll cut out your tongue," he whispered against her mouth, making her shiver. "I promise you I will do it." Someone cleared their throat, abruptly ending the kiss as Cynric pulled away, but he didn't let her go.

"What?" He seemed annoyed.

"Uh- the men are ready when you are," answered Abrecan, sending a hard look towards his lord. Eydie eased away and limped over to Abrecan. Keeping her eyes lowered to the ground, she left the tent. Cynric ran a hand down his face. "Don't get involved with her. You can't keep her."

"I'm not!" snapped Cynric, scowling at the older man who held his hands up in surrender.

"Alright, you're not. I was just warning you."

* * *

Eydie looked up and saw the sun was nearly half way through its course across the sky. A scouting party had joined the foot soldiers not long after they had set out, and that was when she truly felt her fears beginning to rise at the thought of being stuck back with Abrecan and the other lieutenants who had joined him and a group of Cynric's soldiers.

She limped alongside Abrecan and two other large men. Both were Cynric's bodyguards, though it seemed she was now being guarded by the two as they never left her side. Abrecan talked about many things; Saxon life, their history and occasionally Cynric somehow managed to be mentioned.

"Enough, please!" pleaded Eydie after another hour of listening to him. Abrecan glanced at Cynric who was only looking back at the Woad, smirking. Perfect torture. He knew how talkative Abrecan could be sometimes, and had used this to his advantage. "I am sorry, but you talk too much." The two bodyguards began to laugh when Abrecan's smile faltered.

"I agree with our little Woad here," said the first bodyguard. "You do talk too much Abrecan- sometimes." Eydie caught sight of Cynric falling into step with a man not much taller than him with long blonde hair.

She could not see the mans' face, so she pulled on the first bodyguards armour, gaining his attention.

"Who is the other man?" she questioned.

The bodyguard took one glance in the direction she was pointing, before pulling her hand down. "_That_ man is King Cerdic. He is not the type to take prisoners, so keep back here." Nodding, Eydie glanced at the trees lining the wide path they were on. She could see, from years of playing hide and seek using war paint with her sister and brother, the many Woads hiding within the forest. Turning her eyes away, Eydie fought the urge to run to them, knowing she would be killed and that she was risking the lives of her people as well.

* * *

Orpheus watched the Saxon army march past his hiding place. It was the young girl, dressed partially in Woad clothing and Saxon clothing that caught his eyes. "**Eydie**," he whispered. The four Woads around him startled and looked at the young Woad among the Saxons.

"**That is not Eydie**," protested one of the other Woads. Orpheus grumbled an incoherent thought and grabbed his companion by the scruff of his neck.

"**The Woad paint on her arms and legs. The necklace of Avalon, the resemblance to Guinevere. Now, who does this remind you all of?**" The other four Woads glanced between their party leader and back to the their princess, before they agreed that it was her.

When Orpheus released his companion, he pulled out his bow and notched an arrow. Taking aim from his position, sitting on a large boulder, Orpheus directed his arrow towards the bald man up front, knowing exactly who he was. "**Who are you trying to hit?**" questioned the female of the group.

"**Prince**," answered Orpheus. He was about to release the arrow, when a hand pulled it from the bow. He turned to find their leader standing behind them. "**Merlin**."

"**You are not to touch any of them. Fate is pulling them towards their destiny, their deaths and their trails, but none are to die as of yet**," stated the old man before turning and leading the five away. Orpheus glanced over his shoulder at his young Princess, grinning, before catching up to his party.

* * *

Eydie watched from a distance as the men prepared camp for the night. "Why do you rest when so much distance could be travelled at night?" she questioned Abrecan.

He turned to her, saying, "Because, the winter can be a harsh mistress and we could lose a lot of men if we don't take shelter." She nodded and climbed to her feet as Cynric approached them with his bodyguards. She knew there was a village only just beyond in the valley. Eydie knew that tomorrow it would be nothing more than ash and blood staining the earth.

"Come with me." Looking between both Abrecan and Cynric, she followed him to one of the already set up tents.

He let her enter first, before he stepped into the warmth.

"What do you want?" she asked, turning to look at him with her arms folded over her chest. Cynric took a step towards her, making her take a step back and she watched as he chuckled before he began removing all the armour covering him. Eydie turned her back when his shirt followed his armour.

"Its nothing you have not seen before, Eydie," he said and she remembered the night before and blushed, but kept her back turned.

"I care not. It is a sight I wish to not see, ever again," she quipped in retort.

He was only left in his breeches and boots when he took hold of Eydie's arm and turned her to face him. She kept her eyes trained on the tent wall straight ahead of her. Grasping her cheek lightly, he made her look him in the eyes before leaning in and kissing her. "Why do you always do that?"

He pulled back. "Do what? Kiss you?" She nodded, blushing.

He ran a hand across her scarlet cheek, suddenly forgetting everything that was going on outside the tent and focusing on Eydie alone. "Because I like to."

"Why?" He sighed and pulled her to him, kissing her again. "Just because."

Now, it was her turn to pull away. "You hardly know me, I'm your enemy, I was sent to kill you and your soldier kill- killed my little brother. _I hate you_."

He smiled in reply and she pulled away. Eydie sat down beside the fire, legs crossed under her and arms folded over her chest once again.

Cynric sighed and moved to sit down beside her, only she moved away from him. "How can you hate a person, who you don't even know?"

She glowered at him as she spoke: "Because one) You are Saxon, two) You smell really bad, three) I am meant to kill you, and four) Your soldier killed my little brother, oh- and I forgot that it is your people who are invading my homeland." She paused for a breath. "Now, Saxon, do you not think that warrants even a little hatred towards you?"

Cynric rubbed the back of his neck. She was right - about everything!

Cynric moved onto all fours, pulled her by the leg onto her back and dragged her beneath him. Eydie shrieked in surprise and looked up at him with wide eyes. "What are you doing?"

"Giving you another reason to hate me," he replied. Eydie's eyes followed his hand to where it disappeared beneath her shirt. She squirmed as his cold hand touched her bare skin and inched upwards. She grabbed his wrist, hoping she would be able to try and push his hands from under her shirt, but she had no such luck. Cynric made to kiss her, but she turned her head slightly, preventing him from doing so. She jumped when his mouth touched the base of her neck. The minute his lips brushed against her, she lost all potency in her body - with only a brush of his lips against her neck. The sensation made her tremble.

Cynric eased her shirt up, revealing her thin waist and the taut muscles of her stomach. When he felt her body fall limp, he grinned into her neck and took one of her hands in his. His finger laced with her much smaller and nimble ones as he pulled back to look at the young Woad beneath him. Eydie turned her head back to face him and she suddenly gripped his arms and pulled him back down on top of her. He grunted in response and looked sideways at her from where his head was resting against her shoulder.

"Do you still hate me now?" he questioned in a raspy voice.

"I- Well-" she stammered before taking hold of his beard and pulling his mouth against hers.

Smiling, Cynric rolled onto his back and suddenly felt Abrecan's words from this morning come back to him; _"Don't get involved with her. You can't keep her," _the older man had warned him. He tried pushing the words into the back of his mind as he held Eydie on top of him, but nothing he did worked and he ended up pulling away from Eydie and easing her from on top of him.

He noticed how quiet she was and moved to look at her. Her eyes were blank and empty almost as if she wasn't even in her body. Placing a hand against her cheek he tried to shake her back to conscious, only to have her eyes roll back and to all but faint. Getting up, he lifted her into his arms. Carrying her over to the furs, he eased her onto them and looked down into her eyes again. Cynric called for Abrecan and ordered him to find a healer.

* * *

Eydie felt like she could barely breath as the vision began racing through her mind. A graveyard, a battle and other images flashed before her eyes. She couldn't even make sense of the images and didn't know any of the people in them except for herself, Cynric was there, Guinevere and Orpheus also. Feeling her body becoming disconnected with her mind, Eydie only felt a slight jolt as she watched Cynric ease her onto the furs. He genuinely looked concerned with what was wrong with her, but the moment she made to touch his shoulder, her mind and spirit were all but dragged from the tent faster than a lightning strike in the sky.

When she landed Eydie found herself on a snow covered mountain top.

Raising her gaze, Eydie saw a small figure sitting on a boulder nearby. She recognized her little brother immediately and scrambled to her feet. Racing to him, she never expected two women to appear and Wulf to climb from the boulder. He looked at Eydie as if she was a monster.

"Wulf-" she started, reaching out to touch him.

"Don't come near me! You may as well have been the one who killed me!" he spat.

Eydie withdrew and felt tears well up in her eyes. Her little brother turned sharply and walked past the two women.

"You're Eydie, no?" the blond questioned. The second woman's face was hidden from her hood but long dark blond hair spilled down her chest and her hands were pale as the snow beneath them.

"I am, w-"

"I'm Eloisa. Cynric's mother," the blond said before Eydie had time to even ask her question. Staring at the woman, Eydie immediately picked out the ice blue eyes that belonged to Cynric. It was his mother. "You're in the Land of the Dead. Do not worry, you are here, merely because of your father's trickery."

"Daughter." Turning to look at the other woman Eydie remembered the woman who had sung her to sleep as a little girl. Without a word, Eydie made to wrap her arms around her mother, only to pass straight through her. "You cannot touch me in this world, and I cannot touch you. Please do not ask questions, but listen to what we have to tell you."

The Saxon woman eased herself onto the snow blanketed ground. Eydie rested against the boulder, grateful that she didn't fall through it and looked up at her mother and Eloisa. "The necklace, do you have it?" She shook her head. "Please you need that necklace. It will protect you." Eloisa drew the shape of the necklace in the snow and Eydie remembered it now. It was Cynric's necklace. "You will find out in due time, but please take it as soon as you can."

Nimue sat down in the snow beside Eloisa. "You must keep close to Cynric, for as long as sees fit. When the time comes you will find the answers to all your questions, until then..."

"What about my visions?" Eydie interrupted. "How do I get rid of them?"

Both women began to laugh. Nimue however stopped after a second and spoke: "Having visions is... both a blessing and a curse. If you forever believe them to be a curse, then they shall be. But, if you embrace it, as I learned how to then you can help so many people."

* * *

Cynric looked at Eydie and the healer, who was checking her, trying to find out what was wrong with her. Abrecan and his two bodyguards stood near the entrance of the tent, watching both healer, prince and Woad as well.

"What did you do to this girl?" inquired the healer, looking at Cynric.

He spoke through gritted teeth: "Nothing, I already told you that."

Abrecan simply answered, "He is right. She wouldn't have let him anyway." Scowling at his lieutenant, Cynric grabbed the healer by the throat and lifted him up, nearly clear off the ground.

"You mention that this girl is in my company to anyone, especially my father and I'll cut out your tongue, understand?" The healer nodded. "Good." Cynric dropped him. "Now get out of my sight."

"But the g..."

"Out!" The healer swiftly picked up his things and ran from the tent. He was a warrior, yet he still feared the wrath Cynric always seemed to threaten people with. Sometimes the threat was fulfilled, other times it was partially.

Looking at the other three men, he motioned for them to get out as calmly as he could. When the three were gone, he sat down beside Eydie and glanced at the fire, trying to figure out how he could wake the Woad girl.

* * *

Eydie felt the wind be knocked from her again and she found herself being pulled from the Land of the Dead and back to reality. Her spirit and mind entered her body at once. The unbearable pain caused her to scream. It felt as though thousands of daggers were just attacking her relentlessly. A hand covered her mouth and through tears, Eydie found Cynric.

When she calmed down, he slowly pulled his hand away.

"What happened to you?" he asked. Without saying a word, Eydie threw her arms around his neck and buried her tear-stained face into his neck, needing comfort, even if it was from him at the present time. Cynric slowly wrapped his arms around her and pulled her up into his lap. "I thought you were dead."

After a few minutes, she spoke hoarsely: "I think I was for a while. I saw Wulf, my mother and your mother." Cynric felt her pulling on the leather around his neck and looked down to see her inspecting the crystal. "What does it do?"

"I- uh, I'm not sure," stammered Cynric. He watched her play with the crystal for a few minutes before her hand fell away from it. She was asleep. Laying her down on the furs, Cynric tried to understand why his mother had pulled Eydie into the Land of the Dead. He'd been there, only once and once had been enough for him.

"What are you up to?" he whispered to the spirits, looking down at the sleeping girl before standing up and leaving the tent.


	6. Chapter 6

_Wow, okay so I know I have majorly neglected my King Arthur works and I really do apologise. After so long, re-reading some parts of my fiction in this fandom have really made me cringe (hey, I'm a perfectionist lol, it's not fun but it helps me with making a good story) with that said, All That I'm Living For is now back on the active list. Saxons were always a neat thing for me to write as there is barely any fiction on them here and you can do so much with them. This may stray from my original idea now as I've forgotten some of it, but well the newer version will be much more worthwhile. If I have lost readers/fans I do hope here are some still out there as I have lot of ideas in store now that I'm back. _

_Enjoy PS The first five chapters have been edited heavily and fixed up.

* * *

_**Chapter Six**

Eydie was roused by the sound of shouts and lifted her head from the furs she was sleeping on and looked round, she was grabbed by the hair suddenly. She yelped out as she was dragged to her feet. A dark haired, scruffy man smirked cruelly at her and Eydie kicked and hit at him, trying to get him to let go of her hair. "What's this? A lamb amongst wolves," he sneered at her, tossing her to the ground roughly. She whimpered slightly and wondered where Cynric was.

She heard the man chuckle and tried to crawl away from him, only to have him grab her injured foot and drag her back. Eydie screamed out as his hand tightened right round the cut.

* * *

Cynric had been talking with Abrecan and his guards when he had heard the scream. He had left Eydie asleep in his tent. No one knew she was in there, so she was either having a bad dream or... He got up and headed for his tent, Abrecan and his guards following him closely. Stepping inside, he found Raewald trying to pin Eydie to the ground. Kicking him in the side, Cynric grabbed Eydie and pulled her up to her feet, scowling at the other man.

Raewald sputtered as he got to his feet. "Cynric. A spoil of war and yet you won't share, that's not right," he said, leering at Eydie who leaned into Abrecan's arms as Cynric stepped closer to the other man.

"She is my scout. You touch her again like you just tried to and I will kill you," he replied.

"You can't honestly expect me to believe that." Raewald pushed Cynric aside and walked past Eydie and the others. He stopped and glanced at her. "I'll see you later, little Woad."

Eydie looked at the ground.

Cynric scowled at the man's retreating back until he had left before looking at the others in the tent with him. "If anyone questions why she is here, she is a scout for me and that is final," he said to the men before turning his gaze to Eydie who was not looking up at him. He made to send the three men away, however a guard appeared and said that the king wanted to speak with him and his "toy".

* * *

The Saxon king was not a man to be trifled with. He up held the laws of their people without any sign of faltering on them. Cynric did not care for this business. Trouble all because of Raewald's jealously and wanting to touch what wasn't his. Eydie stood with Abrecan who had promised her that Cynric would protect her within the limits of his power.

Cerdic sat by a fire, surrounded by his lieutenants, guards and men who were all talking. They moved to allow Cynric amongst them.

"Raewald informed me that you have a Woad among your ranks," he said, immediately getting to the point.

Cynric nodded. "I do. A scout with valuable information."

"Well, where is this man that Raewald has such a liking for?" Cerdic inquired of his son. The men watching the scene all laughed at the remark towards Raewald who stood behind Cerdic now scowling at Cynric openly.

Looking over his shoulder, Cynric silently motioned for Abrecan to bring her forward. The lieutenant stepped forward and pulled Eydie in front of him, causing silence to fall over the men. Woad she was, but man she was most certainly not. Cerdic stood up and Eydie stepped back against Cynric who murmured for her to remain quiet and stay still. She kept her eyes down, refusing to look up at the Saxon king.

He was extremely tall compared to her and Eydie flinched when he picked up a lock of her hair. "A girl for a scout?" he questioned Cynric who didn't say a word, too busy returning Raewald's scowl with that of his own.

A hand touched her cheek and made her raise her head to look up at him. She couldn't believe the gentleness of the man's touch. She tried to keep his gaze, but Eydie found it to be too cold and heartless to do so. "She's quiet regal looking for a Woad," he commented.

Cynric slowly glanced at his father from where he was keeping his attention on something off to his right. He didn't like the sound of that. Eydie prayed he didn't question her but the Mother Goddess it seemed was not listening to her at this time.

"How old are you girl?" he demanded.

"Sixteen," she replied barely above a whisper.

Cerdic traced her jaw with one finger and Eydie felt repulsed. Unlike when Cynric had touched her, this felt wrong; uncomfortable. He turned his eyes to behind her for a second and Eydie gasped when he suddenly wrapped his fingers around her throat. She grabbed at his hand, trying to pull him off her as he tightened his hold.

Just as she started to slip into unconsciousness, he released his hold and she fell to her knees, choking and trying to regain her breath. He turned his back to her and Eydie made to attack him, much to the surprise of many of the men around them only Cynric caught her by the shoulder and pushed her back to the ground, saving her from certain death.

"She is fiery," Cerdic mused and turned to face the scowling Woad who tried to attack him as Cynric kept her still and down on the ground.

"Your men killed my brother, are raiding my homeland and you expect me to be calm and quiet!" she shouted back and Cynric told her to be quiet.

"I can see why men would like a girl such as you for their bed," the king pressed. Eydie's eyes went wide and she seethed in anger at the idea that this king was suggesting. "I am king child. One word and you could be in my tent, shackled like a dog or dead."

"You are disgusting," she spat, both figuratively and literally at the man who merely smirked.

Cynric dragged her to her feet and pushed her back behind him and to Abrecan who restrained her as Cerdic tilted his head slightly, regarding the situation. "I'll take responsibility for her. You won't know she is here," Cynric said.

Cerdic looked at his son. He looked as though he was going to say something, however he glanced at the Woad girl. "Any man to lay a hand on the girl, will suffer my sword," Cerdic announced suddenly, surprising all of those in attendance. Cynric raised an eyebrow at his father who leaned in close to him as everyone was dismissed. "Your toy and nothing more boy."

Looking at his father as the words sunk in, he looked round at Eydie and nodded silently at his father who turned and walked off after that.

* * *

Cynric let Eydie into his tent and stopped when she kicked the first thing she saw, which happened to be his shield. She fell over, gripping her foot in pain and he saw her look up at him. "You alright?" he inquired. She shook her head and he saw the tears on her cheeks. Sighing, he knelt down and lifted up her foot. "Next time I say to stay still and quiet, please- listen to me."

"He- that man- tried-" she stammered and Cynric saw her shaking.

"I know what he was trying, Eydie. I am sorry, Raewald should never have come in here or touched you," he told her and saw her look at him with a questioning glance, which he ignored and moved to lift her up and move her to the furs, stopping when she wrapped an arm around his neck which brought them with just inches of each other. Cynric smiled a little at her and Eydie licked her lips, making Cynric get distracted by them long enough for her to lean up and kiss him softly on the lips. He was slightly surprised by it but leaned in to her and felt her other arm slid round his neck.

Getting lost in the moment, Eydie mewed softly in the back of her throat as he laid her back on the furs softly and sucked her bottom lip between his teeth. He removed his hands from her and pushed the furs from his body. She put a hand to his chest, easing him back from her.

Looking at him, Eydie said she was sorry and sat up. Cynric moved to lay down beside her and leaned his head back. "Don't say sorry," he told her as she curled her arms around her knees, hugging them to her chest. Sitting up, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders as he moved in closer to her.

* * *

Neither of them knew how long they sat there all they knew was that it was peaceful, comfortable and it was relaxing Eydie to the point where she was yawning every few minutes. Cynric looked at her and smiled, leaning in close, he touched his forehead to her temple and told her she could sleep if she wanted, Raewald wouldn't be back here anytime soon.

Eydie nodded. She didn't want to stay awake any longer. The longer she stayed awake, the more worried she grew about what was going to happen in the coming days. She thanked him. He nodded as he got up, moving away as she lay back on the furs and curled up.

* * *

Cerdic turned to where he could hear the screams of a woman. Since last night, he had decided the Woad girl would prove valuable to him even though his son did not yet know it, that girl was in fact not going to say his for much longer and Cerdic smirked at the idea that formed within his mind.

Eydie had been kept away from the battle. Cynric had made his two guards watch her. When the fighting was over, he sent one of the younger men to retrieve them and the moment Cynric saw her, something inside of him seemed to be relieved to find her alright and unharmed. She came and stood just behind him next to Abrecan who told her that she should probably not stay with Cynric at this moment.

She asked why and that was when she saw it as they approached the king. A woman, a soldier and a scene in which was a terrible reminder of what would have been her fate last night. Eydie stayed still, knowing not to get involved with anything. She lowered her gaze as Cerdic talked. The man terrified her and she looked up as someone came to stand beside her. This man was not Saxon in the least.

A scout from one of the first village's that had been ransacked? She didn't know but when he looked at her, Eydie turned her eyes away from him. She was not about to speak to a man who may repeat what she said to the king.

When the woman was dragged off to be presumably killed, Eydie found Cynric telling her to keep with his guards. She nodded mutely, knowing keeping silent was better than causing attention.

She had woken up this morning a little shocked by what she had done last night with Cynric but he had been surrounded by men and fighting all day that she hadn't had the chance to talk to him about it. Eydie knew it was a mistake and yet she had let it happen still. Shame made her feel terrible and guilt at betraying her people by kissing the man she was meant to kill and not fulfilling her duties to them.

Overhearing the plans for where they would be traveling, Eydie looked at Cynric when he sat down at the fire opposite where she sat with the two guards. He must've sensed that she was looking at him for he glanced at her slightly and gave her a look before she turned her gaze away. "Are there any Woad villages in the direction we're heading?" he inquired to her.

She looked up at that and shook her head. "No. The villages are much further west to here. You would rest them but it would take two days nearly by now," she said as the other scout joined them. Cynric sneered at the man who took the look as a caution to not sit too close to anyone as the guards shared their lords expression.

"Go away," he ordered of the man who just smiled back and glanced at Eydie.

Her eyes went wide, earlier she had not looked at him properly but now as she did, Eydie realized that she knew this man. He was town magistrate of the village that had been close to her home. His hatred for her people was no secret and the thing that scared Eydie most was that he in fact knew exactly what she was.


	7. Chapter 7

Enjoy watching a trailer for this on my new YouTube channel: FanfictionUnlimited and take a look round it, let me know what you think of the videos and have a look-see at the information on my profile here for your chance to have me make a video for one of your stories. Thanks to BethyBooW and Anna for their reviews. Enjoy this chapter.

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

The scout was not foolish enough to say anything to Eydie of knowing her when a number of the lieutenants joined the fire in which they all sat round, however that did gain him opportunity to move closer to Eydie who seemed extremely worried by him. He had to tell her that he wasn't going to say anything, especially to the king, but he couldn't with all the lieutenants and men around and he had no way of knowing whether the prince knew of what she was or not.

Looking across at her, he saw her shivering slightly and wondered why she was being left out here in the cold. Cynric sat beside her and it was then that the scout saw it, with their backs to the forest, no one was able to see that the prince had his hand on the Woad girl's lower back. He saw Eydie shift a little closer to him as the men started talking a bit more loudly, vocalizing their thoughts on the weather and the godforsaken island. The scout had been captured due to his status among his village but he had been compliant, he couldn't do much else. His survival was the most important thing to him at the moment above all else.

Princess Eydie though. She was another story. She was valuable to the Saxons, not only due to her knowledge but also her position. What father and king like Merlin would wish for their daughter to be hurt in the way in which these Saxons could was beyond his reasoning but considering what he had just caught eye of, it seemed unlikely that anything would befall her unless of unforeseen circumstances or the king did something to her. He had seen what had happened last night between the king and the young woad girl was enough to convince him that it was a dangerous situation; her being stuck in this camp.

* * *

Eydie followed Cynric into the tent and turned around hearing Abrecan tell someone that the prince was in no mood for talking. "I want to talk to the Woad girl." Cynric looked past Eydie as the scout appeared and he asked him what he wanted. "Eydie."

Cynric half chuckled at the man as he pulled his armour off and Eydie took it from him, making him look at her for a moment as he watched her put it down and out of the way. "You can't have her," he told the scout, still not looking at him, who shook his head as he tried to think of a way of explaining what he wished to talk about without saying anything to give away about who Eydie was, in case the prince had yet to discover the news.

"I don't want her in that way, lord, I- I just want to talk to her," he said back.

"So talk to her," he replied. "Whatever you have to say to her you can say in front of me."

"Does he know?" he asked of Eydie, who looked at him from beneath her eyelashes.

"Know? Know what?" she replied.

He sighed heavily. "Who you are? What you are? Who you are promised to?"

Cynric looked from the scout to Eydie in confusion. "Scout, you had better start talking sense before I throw you out."

Eydie put her hand on Cynric's arm and shook her head before looking over at the scout, suddenly understanding what he was referring to. "He knows who I am scout. My position. He knows I am a princess."

The scout nodded but one thing still stuck in his mind. "Does he know who will be out for blood if anything happens to you?" he inquired.

She sighed heavily in reply and shook her head. "He doesn't need to be brought into this, he is not my keeper and I do not wish him to be," she remarked.

* * *

Cynric looked at the scout. Keeper? He glanced at Eydie. "I'll speak to you later," Cynric told the scout who quickly nodded and left as he turned round to fully face Eydie who seemed to be deep in thought. "Eydie?" She jumped when he touched her cheek softly.

When Eydie turned away from him, he stepped closer to her, placing his hands on her shoulders gently. "I am promised to one of the warriors from another village. I don't like him in that way. I barely know the man and yet I barely know you-" she started and turned round to face him, her eyes sad, "-and you, who in only two days have shown me more things than I could ever have learned from him. To him, I would have been nothing more than-" She laughed hoarsely, as though she was nearly crying, "-what does it matter now? I'm your prisoner, you could kill me and I do not think he would mind, I think he would be pleased consider..."

Cynric grabbed her by the waist and dragged her closer to him, smiling slightly at her confused look. "You're not my prisoner Eydie. Not anymore. You can leave whenever you see fit and choose too, but know that I won't just sit and let you," he told her. Without giving her chance to reply, he leaned down and kissed her. One arm tightening round her waist as he cradled her head in his other. Cynric felt her arms slid up his chest and round his shoulders as he deepened the kiss, and groaned against her lightly.

It was not easy for him. Their journey here had taken months and he had not seen a woman in that time unless it'd been a whore or some girl from a village his men had raided, but Eydie. She was different. Unlike the other women, he felt something for the girl and he managed to drag his mouth from hers as he reminded himself that he couldn't get attached to her, no matter the fact that he pretty much already was.

* * *

Eydie shifted uncomfortably as Cynric stripped off and to save embarrassment on her part, she turned away quickly. She heard him pause and then a chuckle from behind told her that he knew she wasn't looking. "Eydie, being naked isn't that embarrassing. Plenty of men and women are naked round one another all the time," he said. Looking down at the ground, she tried her best not to blush furiously at his words, knowing that he was right.

"But those men and women- they know one another in a different way," she said back softly, stammering to think of the right words to say.

More laughter came at that. "There's no reason to say that we could-" he began to comment, pausing though both his words and what he was doing to glance at her back before resuming what he was doing. "However there are people that bathe in numbers in rivers and such daily. Your people would do that, no?"

She nodded. "They do. But men bathe at different times to women," she answered.

"So you've never seen a man naked before?"

At that she went bright red and felt her face heat up as she said that she had only once. "When I tried to kill you. You were naked."

Silence came from him before she asked him if she was able to turn back around. He said she could. Cynric sat in the tub and Eydie found his back to her. She then saw the scars across his back and arms. Battle wounds. Approaching him, she decided that any talk of why she had originally been caught by him was not to be brought up. Kneeling down, she felt him flinch slightly as she traced a long scar on his right shoulder blade. "How?"

"Roman ambush on our borders when I was about your age. My first battle and Abrecan was not with me. Just a group of my companions from our regiment who were all a little older than me. One moved from my back, which is never something you do in a fight like that, and a Roman got me." He was leaning forward slightly and Eydie moved to the next scar on his back, just below that one, it was jagged.

"And this one?" she asked, moving her index finger over the mutilated flesh.

He tensed slightly, he was a little ticklish she gathered. "It- It came from a whip," he told her. "From my own kin."

"Who?" Saxon families did this to one another?

"My father." He glanced over his shoulder at her. "Punishment for being foolish to try and save a woman from the men when I was about twelve. He did it in front of the soldiers, proving that even his own son wouldn't be spared or shown leniency if he did something _foolish_."

Eydie nodded and moved her fingers further down his back to where the water started and then across to his left side where a thicker more fresher scar was. "And this one?"

He sighed. "Fighting a Gaul warrior. He got away and left me with that pretty reminder as to what they are capable of."

"When did it happen?"

He chuckled. "You ask a lot of questions you do know that right?"

She blushed and pulled her hand away. "I've never seen scars like it before."

He nodded but didn't say anything to her. "Eydie, stand up." She raised an eyebrow at him in questioning when he turned slightly to look at her.

"Excuse me?" she asked.

"Stand up," he repeated. Though confused, she did what he asked and stood up, looking down at him, wondering why he had asked her to. Suddenly, he raised himself up and before she could turn away he pulled her in close to him, the front of her clothing being dampened by the water on him. Swallowing the thick lump that formed in her throat, she kept her eyes fixed on the pendant he was wearing as his hands held her fast by the waist. As she stared into the black orb, she saw a streak of white form in it suddenly and stared at it harder, not realizing Cynric was pulling her shirt up until he raised her arms up. Realizing her lack of clothing, she covered her naked breasts quickly and went scarlet red. She couldn't form words and when he leaned down, she turned her face away from his and could hear him breathe in before he lowered his head to her neck, finding the same place he had the other night and pressing his lips to her skin.

He slowly slid his arms across her lower back, slipping them lower until he was cupping her bottom firmly in his grasp. She whimpered slightly and bite her lip as he did so and Eydie struggled to think of a way to talk herself out of this, but the more bolder he moved, the more Eydie felt herself enjoying his touch. His hands left her rear and slipped to her front, tugging at the laces of her pants. In the next second they pooled to the floor round her feet and Cynric pulled his head back from her neck. She was naked. He was naked. They were pressed against each other firmly and Eydie felt herself turning scarlet like never before.

Cynric slowly slipped back down into the tub and pulled her with him carefully. While the notion of a bath hadn't sounded bad to her, the fact that she was having one pressed up against Cynric was a different matter. It wasn't as uncomfortable as she'd thought it earlier would have been with two people in here however she was nervous and pulled away from Cynric, looking for some route to escape without him seeing her, but there was no way possible. One of his arms curled round her middle and drew her back against his chest. "Relax Eydie. You are like a startled deer caught in a hunter's net," he said to her.

"And there is a difference?" she remarked in questioning, glancing at him over her shoulder.

He chuckled. "Of course there is. For one; you are not a deer, you are a girl and two; I am not a hunter and I want you to be in here with me," he answered. Eydie shut her eyes as one of his hands skimmed her side, traveling up and over the side of her breast, making her draw in a shaky breath just as he cupped both in his hands firmly squeezing and causing Eydie to whimper again, her body reacting to the way he was touching her very quickly. "Eydie?"

"Mmmm," she mewed.

"I want you so much," he told her as his thumbs brushed over her nipples, making her gasp as they grew sensitive with each flick of torture he gave them.

Cynric got up, lifting her with him and Eydie looked at him as he moved to the furs of his bed, laying her down on them. He came down, covering her, his body sliding along hers and sticking slightly as the water dried off them. He kissed her gently and Eydie trembled, unsure of what to do. Her fingers gripped the furs beneath them as his hands drew her legs up and apart and he rested his hips between them. Eydie's eyes shut as his lips moved along her jaw and down across her shoulder. His hips rolled against hers and she mewed slowly as the action made her stomach twist into knots. Her legs tightened round his body as what Cynric did to her made her grow hot and bothered. She had never felt like this before and still she trembled in slight fear.

He raised himself up a little and pushed into her. Eydie gasped and whimpered at the pain, her eyes watering as she grabbed hold of the furs tighter beneath them. With each thrust of his hips, the pain slowly disappeared and was replaced with pleasure like she hadn't experienced before in her life. This was why people enjoyed sharing a bed so much? She leaned her head back, eyes slipping shut as he kissed her now exposed neck causing her to shiver. Her nails dug into his back, making him groan as he moved against her faster and a pressure grew within her. She moaned low in her throat as her back arched up from the furs.

* * *

Laying on her side facing Cynric who had his arm wrapped over her torso and one hand lightly stroking her cheek as he watched her all but glow and relax back on the furs, he couldn't help but smile as she kissed his knuckles and drew her closer to him, the furs slipping from their torsos as he did. "Is that why people enjoy sharing a bed so much?" she inquired shyly as her fingers softly caressed his chest.

Cynric had to chuckle at such a question. Only Eydie would ask him something like that and he knew it. "Well I guess, I haven't kept a woman long enough to find that out for myself," he admitted and saw Eydie frown a little. "What?"

"How many other women?" she asked.

That was a question he preferred not to answer. "I'm a lot older than you Eydie. And I haven't been as kind as I am to you since the first woman I took to my bed."

She gathered it would be the only answer she was going to get from him and nodded. "How old are you?" she inquired and he chuckled.

"Full of questions, aren't we little Woad?" he replied, asking a question of his own. Eydie lifted a shoulder, smiling meekly at him. Cynric knew how young she was after his father had questioned her last night. "Well as I said, I'm not young Eydie."

"That does not answer my question," she said boldly and he grinned at her when she leaned up on one elbow and reached for the blanket, trying to keep her breasts covered as he rolled onto his back. Leaning up, he pulled her arm out of the way and took one nipple between his lips, teasing the pert bud with his tongue and grazing his teeth over it lightly. She whimpered, one hand moving up to his head and he grinned as he slowly kissed his way back up to her lips.

"I've seen thirty summers. How is that for an answer, princess?" he said. She looked at him as he laid back down and watched her move in closer to him as he did so, pulling the furs up over them and burying herself against his side. He slid one arm round her and smiled as one of her arms skimmed over his stomach and up his chest. Hang the warning Abrecan had given him, Eydie was his now and nothing was changing that for the time being.


	8. Chapter 8

_Enjoy watching a trailer for this on my new YouTube channel: FanfictionUnlimited and take a look round it, let me know what you think of the videos and have a look-see at the information on my profile here for your chance to have me make a video for one of your stories. _

_Love to know what you all think of this. Peace and enjoy._

* * *

**Chapter Eight**

Eydie awoke twice in that night. The first was in due part to her nerves. Her stomach had been in pain and it was a violent reminder of where she was when she found Cynric sitting up and asking her if she was alright which had scared her nearly half to death as she realized that what he had done, what he had made her feel like was completely real, there was no fantasy or trick to it. After settling down, her stomach pain had also eased, as though it had been playing with her, waking her up to confirm what she had been dreaming of.

The second time she woke up it was because Cynric was not in the bed with her, keeping her warm. She lifted her head to look for him and found him sitting next to the fire, half reclining back with a fur about his waist as he looked at his pendant. Laying her head down, Eydie watched him silently, her fear returning to heights higher than before at the realization that she was not going to be able to kill him. What she had first assumed and first said she would do were now things to be left completely in the past. His age and hers made no mind to her, Orpheus was a least six winters older than Cynric by her determining and her heart ached at the fact that she had failed her family and her people for not being able to complete her task and yet she felt something there that made her look at Cynric in a way that she never had a man before.

She stretched out lightly and sighed in content as she relaxed down onto the furs more snugly, enjoying the feel of it on her bare skin. Eydie saw Cynric look over at her and smile in greeting. "You're awake?" he inquired, moving until he was back at the furs with her and Eydie rolled onto her back to look at him. She nodded, saying that it was too cold.

He grinned at her and shook his head as he leaned down to kiss her gently, a hand stroking her cheek. "I could warm you back up but if I did do so, I might hurt you," he said to her and Eydie blushed deeply in reply, knowing what he was referring to.

Eydie said she would be fine, but grabbed his arm as he made to move away from her, and spoke: "But I do like the feel of knowing you're in here with me." Cynric paused to look at her, his eyes taking in the still innocent smile and bedraggled hair, the pale cheeks, somewhat bruised lips and found it to be one of the few sights in his life that truly were beautiful beyond words. The way Eydie looked now, in his bed, was more stunning than any sunset or ocean view would ever be to him and that startled him somewhat. "Cynric, you said I was no longer your prisoner, did you mean it?"

Swallowing the lump in his throat, he nodded. "You're my guest- as I said to you earlier," he added.

She regarded him for a moment. "But why?"

Even though he thought she was asking a lot of questions, as she usually did, Cynric truly didn't want to answer her this time when he knew the answer would be difficult to admit to. With everything that was happening around them, he was in good swing with her here and she was leverage whether he chose to see her as that or not. As he made to give her an answer, a lie, Abrecan stepped inside unannounced.

* * *

He stopped, his eyes taking in the fact that Eydie's clothing lay on the nearer side of the tent, that she lay on Cynric's bed with no more than a fur covering her and then he took in Cynric who was sitting up, propped on his arms across Eydie's waist. The lieutenant was no fool and what he was seeing before him was something that he had warned his lord against doing.

"What is it?" Cynric inquired.

"The camp is to be emptied at dawn, Cerdic just informed myself and some of the other officers, I thought you should get back to reality before someone else sees something that they shouldn't," he said, his tone implying something that Cynric didn't like coming from his lieutenant.

"You should trust my judgement, Abrecan," the prince told his left hand man. The large healer looked down at the ground when Cynric stood up and approached him.

* * *

Eydie watched as Cynric leaned in close to Abrecan, whispering something to him before the larger man gained a large smile across his face and nodded before leaving. She looked round for her clothes as her head suddenly unclouded, telling her this was wrong. Telling her that she should not be acting as though she was something dear to the prince. He wanted a woman, that was all and Eydie gathered that when he had filled his need she was going to be thrown aside like scraps. She felt stupid for letting herself feel the way she was about the man. How did she feel about him?

Cynric regarded Eydie who looked to be uncomfortable in her current state and he frowned, all but a minute ago, she was content to lay in his bed and now- now she seemed like the deer caught again and he asked her what was wrong.

"This is!" she retorted heatedly, trying to suppress the heat rising on her cheeks. She felt foolish for not having fought back earlier, for not having stopped him when she should have done. "I shouldn't have done that!"

He walked over to her and suddenly lifted her up from the bed as though she weighed nothing and she felt her embarrassment rise when the blanket slipped from her fingers, leaving her bare to him. "Why? People can change how they see one another, Eydie. What we did, there was nothing wrong with it."

Forgetting her lack of dress at his words, she slapped him. "It was wrong Cynric. We're not supposed to see one another in that way. Not supposed to like one another. We're enemies and I just betrayed my people giving into what I-" she trailed off and lowered her gaze. She slowly covered herself with her arms as best as she could as Cynric shut his eyes for a moment.

"Eydie. Our people are fighting, that doesn't mean every godforsaken soul wants to fight and with a girl like you, how could a man," he said to her, pointing a finger at her before sighing heavily and cupping her cheek. "I am sorry little one, but I do not share my men's opinion on your kind. I thought you were blue savages who couldn't speak, I didn't expect to find a princess and grow attached to her."

Eydie felt her eyes water up. Accepting what she felt, would be turning her back on her people and Eydie could not do such a thing. She was not a traitor. "I don't want to be a traitor for feeling the way I do about a man, and even more so about a man who isn't the one I'm promised to," she started and looked at Cynric when he reached down and picked up one of the furs, slowly wrapping it round her and drawing her close to him. He didn't say anything to her but he did let her go after a moment and moved to get dressed, leaving Eydie more confused than she ever had been.

* * *

The scout kept his eye on Eydie over the next few days as they got closer to the wall. Of a night Eydie would stay in Cynric's tent and not leave it once in there. He wondered why that was and why Cynric didn't return to the camp fires once he had followed her but he brushed it aside, the prince seemed to not have ill intentions for the princess and for that he was thankful as he was within debt to the Woad girl who had aided his wife when she was giving birth to their son and he did not want to see the girl be harmed.

Two days after Eydie had been discovered by Cerdic, the Saxon army marched upon a small fort, its village and walls were completely devoid of people. Eydie was following Cynric, Abrecan and himself who were catching up to Cerdic.

As he mentioned that the knights could be a part of this, he turned hearing the commotion of people shouting.

* * *

Eydie did not like Romans and when two monks were thrown at Cerdic's feet she held no compassion for them, but when Cynric told the guards to put them back where they found them, Eydie noticed one look at her as though he knew her face. "You? How? Those knights took you from the dungeon when they came." She was a little taken back before she realized what he was on about. Guinevere. She was alive. She had been here. They had kept her prisoner. Eydie kicked the Roman monk in the face and heard Cerdic chuckle slightly at her actions and the monk accusing her of being a witch.

Ignoring him, she watched as they were dragged away from the group and she stepped back behind Cynric. The well placed kick had been for Guinevere. The knowledge of her sister being so close made Eydie's spirits lift until she heard Cerdic order Cynric to take his men and hunt them down. As she followed him, the scout asked her if she was alright. Cynric glanced over his shoulder at her and she nodded. Cynric had found her some thicker clothing in order to protect her from the weather, even though she had protested as she was so use to it after all these years.

It fell upon the young girl to keep up with the men, which was not an easy feat considering each of their strides were two to three longer than her own.

* * *

She couldn't help but shake as she stepped out onto the ice behind Cynric, the scout held her arm to help support her a little. The ice groaned under the weight of the unit and Eydie kept her eyes on her feet before she looked across the ice. There they were. The legendary knights of Hadrian's wall lined up and ready to fight. However it was the pale blue dress that caught her eye and her heart beat faster. Eydie couldn't help but feel her stomach drop as Cynric called for an archer. He may have said things to her, but he was a soldier who followed orders and he seemed determined to follow those orders this day.

The archers arrow didn't even come close to the group of fighters. When two arrows when launched from the other side, Eydie looked at the soldier next to the scout who was taken down by the arrow. She and the scout looked at one another before glancing at Cynric who didn't look too happy.

As they advanced, the scout pulled Eydie behind him and she prayed that none of the knights or Guinevere were injured. She couldn't bare to watch her sister get hurt, even though they had their differences, they were still sisters and she would always think of that over their arguing.

With Cynric and his men getting closer, Eydie only prayed for something to happen. As much as she felt for the Saxon, she refused to let that cloud her mind when it came to doing good and saving her sister, after what had befallen her brother, was something she aimed to do at whatever cost.

Eydie nearly slipped over as she and the scout tried to keep out of the fire of the arrows, to any person, at a distance, Eydie would appear to be probably nothing more than a small Saxon, probably even mistaken for a page or squire, which at this moment was not an advantage.

She heard a shout and found one of knights had rushed out onto the ice with his ax, trying to break the ice up and stop the advancing infantry. Eydie's heart pounded in her chest as she watched him be hit by an arrow.

Her praying to the mother goddess had for once done some good. The knight provided her with the opportunity to get across the ice. Turning around, she kicked the Saxon soldier behind her in the knee, dropping him to the ground and grabbing his shield. A hand curled round her bicep and she was spun to face Cynric. He looked at her and she ripped the necklace from his neck and brought the shield up, hitting him in the face.

She hoped Cynric didn't turn and order for them to kill her at what she had just done to him, but Eydie just wanted to be home. To be with her sister. Even if only for a night or two, she wanted that comfort before war ripped their home to shreds. Running out ahead of the soldiers, she heard the scout call out to her but she ignored him.

The ice cracked beneath her feet suddenly and violently, nearly making her fall over. The knight had been shot by three arrows from what she could see.

As the ground shook and nearly knocked her down, she reached the knight, catching him before he fell into the icy water that was opening up before them. Hooking her arms under his and with as much strength as she could muster, she started trying to drag the heavy and unconscious knight back to safety. An arrow pierced through her arm and she cried out, breaking it as she tried to pull him still.

Someone grabbed hold of her suddenly and lifted her up as someone replaced her in aiding the injured knight. She looked up into a pair of forest colored eyes and she heard a whisper of a thank you as they carried her off the ice and towards land, her head leaning against the person's shoulder as she held her arm.

* * *

Arthur had seen the small person trying to aid Dagonet as he had rushed out onto the ice to save his knight and upon reaching the pair, he found that it was a young girl. Bors had followed him and as the burly knight dragged his companion back across the ice the rest of the way, Arthur lifted the girl up into his arms and carried her off the ice. He whispered a thank you to her for quite possibly saving Dagonet and felt her lean her head against his shoulder.

"Arthur," Lancelot said as he, Gawain, Galahad and Tristan looked at the person cradled within his arms. The curly-haired knight looked from the girl to the Woad woman coming up behind Arthur and did not miss the extreme similarity between them both.

The commander gently set the girl on the ground and moved to look at her wound. The arrow hadn't gone all the way through, which was a problem. She had broken the fletched end off and he called for Gawain's help. The scruffy, blond knight came as soon as called and knelt down. The girl had yet to look up at them and Arthur, who saw the Woad marks on her arm as Gawain cut off the shirt sleeve startling the girl who tried to move away from him, and turned to Guinevere.

The woman stared at the girl, not believing that is was really her. "Eydie?"

At the name, the girl lifted her head and looked at the other Woad with tear filled eyes. It shocked Arthur as to how similar the two appeared when he was able to see her face properly. She was so young too. _"It hurts."_

Nodding, Guinevere came round to the girl and lowered herself down, they needed to remove the arrow. She knew it, Eydie definitely would know it and Guinevere also knew that Arthur would not hurt his sister intentionally. He may have been headstrong but he was compassionate. Wrapping an arm around her little sister, she looked at Arthur and told him to make it quick.

Arthur nodded and held the girls arm as Gawain counted to three before pushing the arrow through the muscle, flesh and bone. The girl cried out, tears falling down her cheeks as she turned her head away from what they were doing. Gawain pitied the girl and was trying to make it as quick as he could on her but the most painful part was still to come and he reached for his dagger again.

Guinevere spoke to the girl in Woad, holding her tightly and resting her head against hers as Arthur watched the two. They had to be sisters. There was no other way to explain the similarities in their appearance. He looked down as Gawain asked him to help. Arthur cut off the tip of the arrow and Gawain pulled the wood from the back, making her bite her lip to stifle a scream that rose in her throat at the pain. Gawain without asking cut the end of Guinevere's dress and used the material to wrap around the girl's arm.

He smiled at her and Guinevere, saying that she was a strong little one. "Guinevere?" Arthur inquired as he motioned to the girl.

"My sister. I did not know she was their prisoner," she replied as Eydie looked up at Arthur. She was pale and looked sick but after what they had just done, he did not blame the poor girl.

He nodded and extended a hand out to the girl. She looked at Guinevere before putting her tiny hand in his, watching him lean down to kiss it gently. She blushed and he smiled at her. "My thanks little one. Without your aid and risk I don't think Dagonet would still be alive."

Eydie smiled a little at him and nodded mutely, her eyes however moving to where the ice was now clear of any living Saxon. They were gone. He was gone.

"I'm Arthur Castus."

She glanced at the other men. One had his back to them; another was dark haired with a beard and wore a war skirt; the scruffy blond knight bowed his head a little at her as she rested her eyes on him; one knight had braids in his hair and a bird sat on his arm as he watched her stoically; and then her eyes landed on the two shaved headed knights. Moving from Guinevere's arms, she crawled towards the unconscious knight. The burly knight who hovered over his companion gave her a hard look as she eased his hands away with her tiny ones and peeled the fabric back around the man's wounds.

Eydie turned to her sister. _"How far is the caravan?"_

_"Not far, we did not have much time. Will you be able to save him?"_

Eydie nodded at her sister who quickly told Arthur they had to move and reach the others.


	9. Chapter 9

**_SHAMELESS PLUG HERE: Enjoy watching a trailer for this story on my new YouTube channel: FanfictionUnlimited and take a look round it, let me know what you think of the videos and have a look-see at the information on my here or on the channel for your chance to have me make a video for one of your stories._**

**_Follow me on twitter: FFnetUnlimited and I'll help promote your stories in anyway I can, that's what the account is designed for. Promoting The Video Trailers and also any fictions.  
_**

**_Yes I feel ashamed... Not! Haha, I really want to start having more stuff on fanfiction get out there and I think graphics like banners are great but the videos can be the ultimate way to gain a few readers who want to know what happens where and why and how and when. Lol. And I think its time to start doing that. I don't want fandoms to die out just because a few years have passed since the movie came out._**

_**Anyway, on with the story and an end to my ramblings. Enjoy!**_

* * *

**Chapter Nine**

Tending to the knight with as much energy as she could muster despite her arm throbbing in pain, Eydie did it to stop herself from thinking about the past few days. Now was not the time to be thinking about that. Things had happened that she had not intended to, but they did and she could not take them back now. Dagonet, as she'd recalled Arthur saying that was his name, awoke only once while she was looking after him and he had thanked her, asking her if they made it all safely. She, however, did not answer him. As of yet, she had only spoken Woad around the knights and did not wish to speak with them all too much. Her sister was the only reason she was here, otherwise she did not really like the idea of the Sarmatian knights they were much different to what she expected as her people spoke and exaggerated the tales they told of the men.

She climbed from the wagon in which the now resting knight lay, dropping into the snow lightly and looking down the lines for her sister. "Why did you save him?" Eydie turned round to face the man who had spoken to her. It was one of the knights. He sat atop a large black stead, dual swords on his back and dark curls hung down his forehead, he was the one who had his back to her earlier while they had been on the ice. Eydie lowered her gaze.

"Not everyone deserves to die trying to save those they love," she replied in Latin and looked up to see him grin at her.

"So she does speak our language," he teased playfully to her, making her blush and nod. "Here I thought you wouldn't answer me."

Eydie realized she should be moving, not standing still and she turned and started to follow the line of wagons, people and horses. It kept her from feeling the extreme cold that suddenly whipped around her. She heard the knight chuckle before finding an arm sliding round her waist, lifting her up from the ground and onto the lap of the knight. Slightly nervous, she kept her eyes down on her lap. "I'm Lancelot," he said.

"Eydie," she answered however she didn't look up at him.

"Why were you with them?"

It was a question Eydie had not thought anyone other than Guinevere would ask her when they had the chance to talk but it seemed that the knight could either read minds or might have thought this had been planned by the Saxons. "I was sent to do a task I couldn't go through with," she stated weakly, now only just realizing that she could have spared herself the past few days if she had just done what she'd been told to do and killed the prince. "And I was captured by them."

At the thought of him, she reached up to clutch at the necklace that now hung round her neck. Something ached when she thought of him and it was an ache she did not understand but did not feel comfortable with asking the knight about it. "What was the task that was so hard that you couldn't do it?" he pressed.

Looking round, she tried not to feel stupid. "To kill one of the Saxon leaders."

"Why couldn't you do it? He is killing your people..."

"And I don't kill people. Unless in self-defense and it didn't change that time round, I thought I would be able to do it, for my people, but I couldn't," she interrupted him and saw him look up at the sky for a moment.

She grimaced as it began to snow harder and rain joined the white flecks that dropped down onto them. Lancelot pulled his cloak round her and Eydie felt its warmth like it was a thick blanket calling to her. Smiling softly at the gesture considering he did not need to be so kind, Eydie leaned into his chest, one arm curling beneath the cloak and round his neck. "Thank you, Lancelot," she said.

He told her not to thank him and she shut her eyes as she leaned her head against his chest.

* * *

The scout looked round at Cynric who hadn't said a word since they'd left the ice. Eydie was back with people who the scout knew would treat her well but at the moment, he didn't know whether it was a good thing that she was with them or a bad thing that she had been taken off the prince who clearly was angry over his loss to the knights.

Abrecan and himself both sat on a log, watching Cynric, waiting for him to say something as the few men left of his unit made camp for the night. It was not going to be a nice return to the main army and the scout knew so.

Cynric glanced at Abrecan for a moment and then down at his hands. The lieutenant didn't know what to say to his lord that would encourage the man to look somewhat pleased and so he remained quiet. "She took my necklace," he said suddenly as he straightened a little.

Abrecan chuckled at his lords words and lowered his head, letting out a sigh of relief. The scout frowned. "I don't understand why that is funny," he remarked.

The corner of Cynric's lifted up into a small smile and the scout asked him to explain what was so special about a necklace. It was just a trinket.

"It belonged to my mother," he started. "It reacts to people... a person really I should say. The black orb is encasing light in it."

"And-" the scout pressed, "what is so special about it?"

Cynric just shook his head. "Don't worry, you wouldn't understand scout and for you to, I'd be talking for a very long time which at this present time, talk is not something I am in the mood for." The scout nodded in return and took that as a way of being told to be quiet.

* * *

Camping in a spot off the trail, Eydie curled up against a tree with a rug that a man had given to her and was nearly half asleep when she felt a foot nudge her. Looking up over her shoulder, she found Lancelot leaning against the side of the tree. Guinevere was watching from afar and he was confused as to why the woman had not come near her sister since the ice but decided to keep the girl company.

"What is it?" she asked in a soft voice and he smiled at her, leaning down and holding a hand out to her.

"Come on, you can't sleep there like that. There is an extra bedroll with Dagonet in the wagon, its set up near Gawain, myself and Galahad," he stated and Eydie took his hand, letting him pull her to her feet.

"Thank you."

He shook his head and told her she didn't need to thank him. Gawain smiled at her as she came over, following Lancelot and that was when she saw Lucan. The little boy had been close to her brother and she smiled, hugging him when he wrapped his arms around her. She was sharing the bedroll with him. Climbing it, they cuddled together and Eydie smiled when Lucan whispered that he was glad she was here.

* * *

Badon Hill was terrifying to Eydie. She was not use to walls and buildings but only huts and imaginary boundary lines to protect them. This was a fortress, a prison. She sat with Lucan and Guinevere on the wagon as they stopped. Guinevere had only said that she loved her in Woad this morning when she saw her before hugging her tightly and saying she was glad that she was safe. Eydie had merely returned it and then neither of the girls had spoken.

As they were helped down, Lucan took off into the courtyard where the knights were. Eydie chased after him as did Guinevere. Soldiers made to grab them only Galahad drew his sword and placed it to the throat of one of them, stopping them all. Dagonet was awake and tenderly moving from the wagon as Lucan latched onto the large knight. Eydie looked at the man who began to talk. He was aged, he looked like he had seen battle and he was dressed in fine clothes.

She took a step towards him and Lancelot suddenly had hold of her arm, pulling her back and mouthing a no to her. Eydie wished he would let her go. It was because of this man's people that the Saxons had come, they knew Rome was pulling out of Briton slowly and they were seizing advantage of that fact.

* * *

Eydie had been left with Lancelot as her charge for the night and when he had followed his companions up the steps of the wall, Eydie was close behind him. She had been given a light dress to wear instead of the Saxon clothing. It was a deep green and fitted a little more than what Guinevere's did round her. She'd never worn a dress before. It was much different to the breeches and shirts her people wore. Looking through the battlements she found hundreds of fires burning on the field below. The Saxons. Lancelot put a hand on her shoulder and she looked at him. The knight treated her like an equal almost and his look mirrored that of nearly every other person on that wall. Eydie had nothing to tell them. She had not been allowed near the discussions of such matters among the Saxon camp.

She turned to find Guinevere and Arthur coming up to see what was going on. It was almost like all the knights were filled with sorrow as they sat or stood round the small area and waited for Arthur to speak. As though they knew what he was going to say already.

When he did, Eydie knew that he was saying goodbye to his men and she looked at Guinevere who turned her eyes away from her. Arthur left the wall top and Lancelot followed him. After looking back at her, Guinevere chased after them. Eydie chose to head after her sister and took hold of her arm as the two men spoke heatedly with each other. She looked at Guinevere who merely stared at the scene before them.

The Roman left his friend and brother standing there and after he looked over at them, he walked off in a direction opposite to Arthur. Guinevere turned and asked her to go see to Lancelot.

Frowning, Eydie did as she was asked and went to see if the knight was okay. She found him in the stables, affectionately talking to his horse. "I know you're there Eydie," he said as she stood in the shadows. Looking down, Eydie stepped forward and asked him if he was alright. "No I'm not. For fifteen years I have fought side by side to Arthur, protected him, watched his back and now- now when we are finally free he is drawn to his certain death all because of a woman."

"A woman?"

"Guinevere. Your sister. I'm not blind Eydie, he looks at her and she looks at him. He followed her into the forest the night before the ice. Whatever happened changed Arthur, changed him for the worst. I can not fight this battle. Briton, Woads... you. You're not my problem anymore, I can go home," he told her. The bluntness of his words made Eydie realize how badly he did miss his home, his service had been fifteen years and she knew how she felt being away from home after only her days in the Saxon camp.

"I would never ask a person to fight a war that is not theirs to fight. I do not understand why they would ask Arthur to do so, but my father is never a man of stupid thought. He may seem more eccentric to others, but what he does, he does for reasons that no other person sees until it has occurred," she stated, looking up at him as he stepped out of the stall and towards her.

Lancelot looked at her, regarding her for a moment before he brought his hand up to caress her cheek. "You are one of the few things on this island that look like heaven in my eyes. Will you fight tomorrow Eydie?" he asked her softly. She slowly shook her head.

"I'm not a fighter. I'm a healer. I can't take life like you and your companions can," she whispered, looking down and moving to leave him only he made her turn her head up to him.

Eydie drew in a shaky breath and pulled back slightly just as he made to capture her mouth in a kiss. He shut his eyes and nodded before pulling back. "Sleep well, Eydie." With that, the knight walked off, his retreating back tense to her eyes.


	10. Chapter 10

**_SHAMELESS PLUG HERE: Enjoy watching a trailer for this story on my new YouTube channel: FanfictionUnlimited and take a look round it, let me know what you think of the videos and have a look-see at the information on my here or on the channel for your chance to have me make a video for one of your stories._**

**_Follow me on twitter: FFnetUnlimited and I'll help promote your stories in anyway I can, that's what the account is designed for. Promoting The Video Trailers and also any fictions.  
_**

**_Yes I feel ashamed... Not! Haha, I really want to start having more stuff on fanfiction get out there and I think graphics like banners are great but the videos can be the ultimate way to gain a few readers who want to know what happens where and why and how and when. Lol. And I think its time to start doing that. I don't want fandoms to die out just because a few years have passed since the movie came out._**

_**Anyway, on with the story and an end to my ramblings. Enjoy!**_

* * *

**Chapter Ten**

That morning, there was no life among the halls of Badon Hill keep. There were no animals; no children running around like they usually would have been Eydie assumed. There was nothing. It was desolate. A home to so many people and it was about to be destroyed. They were fleeing, leaving a home many had probably known since childhood, traveling down an old road towards the coast and... she was among them. That morning Guinevere had come to her, asking her to stand and fight for her home but Eydie had refused her. She would not kill unless defending herself. Her home, that could be rebuilt, her people could not and that is why she chose to not fight more so than anything else aside from her better nature. As Guinevere left her in a huff, Eydie's mind had brought back the memories of her last three nights with Cynric. They were vivid, they were heated and they made her very flustered. She could still feel what it was like to have him kiss the hollow point of her throat, carve a hot path down her belly to her hip where he had bit down marking her, making her shudder in pleasure. Physically she'd shuddered as she remembered it and had quickly moved to aid the knights with their things before being given a horse to ride.

Now here they were. She had watched Bors leave the line and salute Arthur who sat atop his mount on a hill that had overlooked the road they'd been on, before he had returned to the line. Silence encompassed the entire party and Eydie sat on her horse, albeit a little uncomfortably due to the dress she was still wearing, keeping her mouth closed.

Drumbeats pierced the air suddenly and startled the horses. Eydie found Galahad catching the reins of hers when she couldn't control him and thanked him. Moments passed and Eydie saw the looks the men shared and had to respect them. They loved Arthur, she knew that now seeing that they were going to go back and fight alongside him.

Her heart hammered in her chest as a realization came over her. She loved Cynric. In only a short amount of time, she had fallen for a man who was her enemy, the one thing she should not love and she did. He was walking right into death and these knights would be too. When they were gone, Eydie stayed where she was, hanging her head. "What's the matter, young one?" Eydie looked at Vanora who came to stand beside her horse. The woman was Bors' lover and the mother to the numerous children they had coupled.

She sighed and wiped away a tear that strayed down her cheek. "I can't go," she admitted, more to herself than the woman.

"But of course you can, dear, when the battle is over, we will come back and start afresh," Vanora told her. Eydie shook her head and climbed off the horse, standing in front of the woman.

"I can't when someone I hold so close to me is facing death," she remarked and Vanora inquired as to what she was going to do. Looking at the horse and then to the forest, she said she was going to go to the armory, confusing the older woman who could do nothing but stand and watch the girl disappear into the forest on the back of the horse.

* * *

Eydie found the small village that she knew was within the forest borderline. The armory hadn't been cleaned out and she found the weapons she felt most comfortable with; an ax and a dagger. She wouldn't need them for long with what she planned to do. In her mind she had it all worked out as she stripped off the dress and then became what she was, what her people were, what she should have been. A Woad. Blue paint and leather covered the small sixteen year old who moved quickly through the forest, her feet carrying her like they were being pushed by the wind.

She could hear someone beside her and glanced round, thinking someone was ambushing her, only she found nothing but forest. It came again and she spun round, screaming and falling backwards when her mother and Cynric's mother appeared from nowhere. Looking up at them as she collected her ax, she waited for them to speak, knowing that was why they were here. "I thought we told you to stay close to him?" Nimue remarked.

"You did and I did and look where it got me, I am in love with a Saxon," she replied heatedly as she stood up. "You both knew it was going to happen, didn't you? I may only be sixteen but I am not foolish. Father would never have sent me on the mission without prompting from others. You know this and so do I. I am not a fighter. I have killed one man and now I am running head first into a battle with little idea as to how I am going to..."

"Child we knew, the necklace showed it. We just pushed it along a little faster. Nimue said that you would still meet Cynric, not in the previous way fate had planned for you, but you would not have met until well... Cynric was near death." Eydie looked at the two spirits. "He isn't supposed to survive this battle Eydie and trying to save him will only cause a rift in what is supposed to happen."

She scoffed, her demeanor had changed in mere moments. The small soft spoken girl didn't stand before the two mothers, instead a young woman with a point to prove did. "You altered fate," she accused.

"We pushed it, we didn't alter things too much. If you do this you'll not like the consequences," Eloisa said pointedly.

Eydie didn't say a word, she just turned and headed towards where the smoke rose over the trees. "Eydie!"

"You altered my fate and made me love him, now I'm going to rewrite the future," she called back to them before breaking into a run.

* * *

The smell of blood, smoke and sweat reached her senses just before she broke through the forest line to find the massacre right before her eyes. Bodies lay across the ground, mutilated, bloodied and already been attacked by flies that had been drawn to the heat. Eydie moved through the bodies and fighting sides carefully weaving and ducking where a fight may occur. Her brown eyes searched the ground and the faces of those still standing trying to find him.

A shield came into her line of vision but Eydie didn't move quick enough and it slammed into the side of her face, knocking her to the ground as she coughed out blood from where her teeth had cut into the inside of her cheek during the impact. Looking up, she met soulless brown eyes. Raewald. The Saxon smirked at her and raised his sword. Almost like lightning touching the Earth, someone rushed by, slicing the back of his knees. Eydie saw another flash and then suddenly Guinevere was on the man's back. Three more Woad women attacked the large Saxon and as Guinevere choked him with wire, Eydie looked at the dagger in her hand. She moved and before her mind could comprehend her own actions, she forced the dagger through his armour and right into his heart.

His eyes were wide as he looked down at the dagger in his chest.

Guinevere got him to the ground and Eydie saw her smile at her before she turned her head to another part of the battlefield, Eydie followed her gaze and saw him. Her sister rushed to attack him, remembering him from the ice and Eydie got dragged by her hair backwards suddenly, causing her attention to divert to the Saxon who tried to gut her with a very bloodied short ax.

She used her small frame as an advantage and rolled back, kicking the man in the chest and knocking him to the ground. Again- before her mind could tell her she was murdering a person, she dragged her dagger across his throat.

Looking up, trying to find Guinevere and Cynric who were fighting one another. She found them when two fighters were shot to the ground before her. She managed to get to her feet and race towards them, only a horse nearly trampled her and she found Lancelot getting off it and moving to aid his sister as Cynric brought his sword down. For the briefest of seconds, Eydie's eyes slipped shut and she ended up being knocked to the ground by a Saxon. He crushed her nearly beneath the weight of himself and his armour and Eydie cried out, trying to push him off her.

With a long groan and pushing with both her hands and her legs, she managed to roll the lifeless body off her.

She got to her feet and turned to find Lancelot on his knees, an arrow pierced through his armour, just below his heart and Cynric was bracing his weight on his knees and one hand, clutching at his stomach. Rushing over as Lancelot fell to the ground unconscious, Eydie knew he would have aid soon and dropped down beside Cynric.

"Cynric, how bad is it?" she asked in one breath, as she gripped his arm.

He glanced at her slightly, his eyes clearly showing his disbelief before it disappeared behind pain. "Bad," he coughed, spitting blood down onto the ground.

"Come," she said, tugging him up by the arm. He groaned and nearly doubled back over, but Eydie just walked, trying to keep him awake long enough to get somewhere safe.

* * *

She struggled to get far as Cynric's weight became a burden on her when he started to fall into unconsciousness. Reaching where she had tied her horse up, she managed to get Cynric onto him before getting up behind him. Turning the horse, she headed north, the way in which the Saxons had come from and prayed Cynric did pull through as she looked down at the now fully unconscious man who was laying over the horses neck.

Covered in blood, Eydie wondered what the place she was heading to would think of her when she arrived. The tip of northern Briton was home to Woads who lived just like her own did but they visited the villages of the settlers and had no quarrel with them. They had distanced themselves from the Romans due to many being former slave traders who still enjoyed catching Woad girls and selling them at slave markets in places such as Gaul.

Her three day journey would only take two for she refused to stop.

Eydie only hoped the Romans had already left the settlements up here but knew there was every chance that many of them would stay behind, start lives here, but she also knew the trouble that could come of them doing so.

Leaning forward over Cynric's back, she pressed her lips to his dirt covered cheek and nuzzled the side of her face with his affectionately as she whispered to fight and not give up.


	11. Chapter 11

**_SHAMELESS PLUG HERE: Enjoy watching a trailer for this story on my new YouTube channel: FanfictionUnlimited and take a look round it, let me know what you think of the videos and have a look-see at the information on my here or on the channel for your chance to have me make a video for one of your stories._**

**_Follow me on twitter: FFnetUnlimited and I'll help promote your stories in anyway I can, that's what the account is designed for. Promoting The Video Trailers and also any fictions.  
_**

**_Yes I feel ashamed... Not! Haha, I really want to start having more stuff on fanfiction get out there and I think graphics like banners are great but the videos can be the ultimate way to gain a few readers who want to know what happens where and why and how and when. Lol. And I think its time to start doing that. I don't want fandoms to die out just because a few years have passed since the movie came out._**

_**Anyway, on with the story and an end to my ramblings. Enjoy!**_

_**

* * *

**_

**Chapter Eleven**

Tiemon sighed as he lowered his bow. He had missed the target again. The village elder Liethan had questioned him on why he had left the village a few days ago and at the time, he had been planning on scouting the Saxon foot soldiers who had come close to their village but he had turned and ran at a time when he wished he hadn't. Eydie had been a friend who he had rarely seen over the years but he was not foolish, he knew that what he had done was cowardly at the time but when face to face with one of those brutes, he hadn't been able to stand and fight.

The village was lively, the children were playing hide and seek or tagging one another before they began to chase the others all round the village, weaving in and out between the huts and older people. Tiemon looked up at the older boys who all laughed at him as he walked away from the target after collecting his arrow from where it had landed in the tree above the actual target.

Looking up as they saw one of the scouts return to the village, he followed the others to where Liethan was sitting with many of the older villagers. The scout said there was a rider not too far into their boundary lines. Standing up, Liethan said they should go and meet this rider then.

* * *

Eydie's horse startled, rousing her back from where she was nearly asleep in the saddle. She tightened her grip on the reins and tried to calm him down. Looking round, she tried to find what it was that scared him when she found herself surrounded. Arrows aimed for her and she looked ahead of her as an unarmed Woad appeared. _"You've stepped into Woad territory child, you had best explain yourself before my warriors kill you."_

She looked at the warriors before back to the unarmed one. _"I've come from near the wall. I'm Merlin's daughter. I seek protection for myself and my companion." _Silence met her and she then saw him motion for the warriors to lower their weapons. Relief washed over. _"Please, I've traveled two days seeking you. He was injured in the battle of Badon hill. I need your help."_

_"Please princess, you are more than welcome to stay with us. Come, I am Liethan the village elder,"_ the man said, bowing his head to her.

Eydie whispered a thank you to him when he came to stand beside her horse.

* * *

Despite being matted with dried blood, dirt and blue paint, Eydie felt herself ready to sleep. She had not since the night before the battle, her mind had been racing since then as to whether or not Cynric would survive this. When one of the warriors grabbed hold of the reins of her mount, she carefully slid from its back, nearly collapsing as her legs were stiff from riding for so long. Liethan said to follow him and she found two men pulling Cynric off the horse. They followed Liethan and Eydie had no choice but to as well. When they got to a hut, Liethan allowed the men to enter with Cynric first and he turned to Eydie.

The weariness yet worried look in her eyes made him realize she had barely rested. "You should rest, the healers will do all they can for-"

"Cynric."

"That name. Its Saxon." Liethan replied with a raised eyebrow.

Eydie lowered her gaze. "Please help him, he isn't like the others. I promise to repay you in anyway possible."

"That is not necessary but you do look like you need rest yourself, please while he is being tended to, wash, eat and sleep. We can talk when you are less weary," he told her and she thanked him as he guided her towards another hut.

* * *

Days past and Eydie stayed by Cynric for as long as she could until Liethan's wife Cyrene would pull her away to make sure she was looked after and ate. Liethan had asked her in private to tell him why she had aided a Saxon and she had explained much of the past week to him, leaving out certain points but making sure he understood that Eydie cared for him and didn't wish to see him harmed anymore than what he had been.

One night, Eydie was sleeping as she watched Cynric, her hands holding one of his and her head on his chest when she was awoken by the sound of someone coming into the hut. Looking up, she found it was a boy who smiled a little at her. He was older than Eydie and she could not help but ask him why he was in here. Liethan had told the village of what Cynric was but that he was at peace with the village and was Eydie's charge as it were, but since he had told them most had stayed clear of the hut. _"How is he?"_ he replied.

Eydie looked down at Cynric before sighing heavily. _"I don't know. He could wake up now, tomorrow or not for days."_

_"What will you do when he is better?" _She looked up at him and then down at where she had her hands round Cynric's.

_"Stay. Liethan said we're welcome to and I have nowhere else to go. I can't go home unless I leave him and I can not do that,"_ she answered honestly as she ran a hand down Cynric's cheek. As the Woad left, she felt Cynric's hand tighten round one of hers lightly and her heart lifted as she called to him. The Woad turned back round to see Cynric opening his eyes slowly and quickly ran out as Eydie leaned in closer to him. "Cynric?"

"Eydie?" He made to move only to cringe in pain and Eydie told him to not move.

When the Woad returned, he had Liethan and Cyrene with him. "So our Saxon lives," Liethan remarked as he came to stand behind Eydie and smiled down at the man who looked confused.

"Where am I?"

"The northern part of Briton, I'm Liethan the village leader. Eydie brought you to us. You were nearly dead but our healers saved you," Liethan explained as Eydie tightened her grip on his hand, smiling down at him.

Cynric just looked up at the roof of the hut and shut his eyes. "Thank you."

"Do not thank us yet, prince, you still have to get better but we are glad that you are finally awake," Cyrene told him in a soft voice as she took hold of Eydie and told her to come with her and come and rest for a while. Eydie let Cynric go and allowed Cyrene to pull her away as Cynric fell back asleep.

* * *

Four days past and each day, Cynric stayed awake longer and tried to get up a little each time. By the fifth day he was able to stand and move around a few steps. Eydie kept by him the entire time, but he barely spoke to her and she wondered why he was so quiet until the fifth night when he was sitting outside the front of the hut, watching the stars above. Eydie approached him and he didn't look at her. "Cynric?"

"Go away," he said almost immediately. "I don't want to talk."

"Why not? What did I do to you?" she asked back.

Cynric glanced at her for a moment. "You ran." Eydie lowered her gaze and nodded, he was right. She had run from him but she had her reasons for doing so, nothing would change that.

"I came back," she said to him, stepping forward and sitting down beside him, taking hold of his hand even though he tried to pull away from her. "Cynric please. You can't hate a person forever."

He smiled and half chuckled, despite that his side protested against it. "You saved my life," he remarked quietly at that point and Eydie nodded.

"I couldn't let you die."

When he glanced at her, he tightened his grip on her hand reassuringly saying a silent sorry to her. She leaned her head against his arm. "Liethan said you've barely slept."

"He is right. I was worried about you." Both Eydie and Cynric sat in silence after that and when he saw Liethan approaching, he made to pull away from Eydie.

"Don't worry Cynric, I know. Eydie cares for those she loves greatly and it always shows in how far she is willing to go for them. She has risked her own life saving you and bringing you to us. That is why, so long as you stay here, you are considered part of the village. We don't share hatred for people easily unless they do wrong by us," he told Cynric who looked at Eydie only she had her head down. He didn't question Liethan on what he said and the man just finished with the news that an order had been placed out that any rogue Saxons were to be captured. Cynric nodded, so others had gotten away. In some respects he was glad for that. It meant Abrecan could be out there somewhere. Going looking for him though, was not an option. Here he was healing, here he was being protected and here he had Eydie.

* * *

Cynric lay back in the hut that night that was now his. He wondered how long it would take before he would be able to move properly, before he would be able to wield a sword again and not end up being dropping it as he had done this morning when the Woad boys had asked him to show them how Saxons fought. They had understood he was not entirely fit to do so once his side had nearly dropped him to his knees.

Eydie was another story. He had been mad at her for leaving him on the ice but now, now he couldn't say that. She had fought in a war that she wanted no part in, in order to save him. He was a warrior, he was going to feel strange over the next few months as he knew fighting was not something these people acted in every day, if at all. Looking at the small fire that was burning in the centre of the hut, he sighed heavily. He missed holding Eydie at the moment but knew that for now it was better that they were separated while he was trying to rest, knowing that he wouldn't be able to help himself if she was with him.


	12. Chapter 12

**Like to say a big thank you to Truda who has made me smile and enjoying writing this fic so much more and that this chapter is for you. You have no idea how much I appreciate all reviews I receive from you all on this story as its not traditional for the King Arthur fandom, so thank you all beyond words that you are reading/reviewing.**

_SHAMELESS PLUG HERE: Enjoy watching a trailer for this story on my new YouTube channel: FanfictionUnlimited and take a look round it, let me know what you think of the videos and have a look-see at the information on my here or on the channel for your chance to have me make a video for one of your stories._

_Follow me on twitter: FFnetUnlimited and I'll help promote your stories in anyway I can, that's what the account is designed for. Promoting The Video Trailers and also any fictions._

_Yes I feel ashamed... Not! Haha, I really want to start having more stuff on fanfiction get out there and I think graphics like banners are great but the videos can be the ultimate way to gain a few readers who want to know what happens where and why and how and when. Lol. And I think its time to start doing that. I don't want fandoms to die out just because a few years have passed since the movie came out._

_Anyway, on with the story and an end to my ramblings. Enjoy!_

**_

* * *

_**

**Chapter Twelve**

Eydie eased herself down into the warm water. The springs round this part of Briton were well known by the Woads as things of unsurpassed beauty, that hadn't been touched by Roman hands yet. They were naturally heated from underneath the ground somehow and it was something that she had always loved since she was little, though she had not been here since she was nine. Her clothes were on the bank near her and she felt some of the tension in her body that had been there for days now ebb away.

Since Cynric had woken up, Eydie had been worried about one of the Woads trying to hurt him for what he was. So far none of them had been anything but nice to him and Eydie was grateful to Liethan who genuinely didn't seem worried about the fact that he was letting a Saxon amongst his people. He almost seemed to like the man's company as he constantly was talking to Cynric or asking him questions and learning more about things that generally a Woad would never discover.

Hearing footsteps, Eydie turned and found Cynric standing there. "Hello," he said and she smiled slightly as she sunk a little deeper into the water until only her neck and head were above it.

"Spying on me is not nice when I'm bathing," she told him, though her eyes were dancing. Cynric lifted up one shoulder, mumbling something about not having too many manners considering he is a Saxon. She shook her head at him and he moved towards where she was, asking her about the spring as he pulled his sleeveless vest off. It wrapped around him and tucked into his pants, making it simpler and less painful for him when he undressed. "They are heated from under the ground. No one has yet discovered how but we still use them." She giggled a little suddenly and he raised an eyebrow at her in questioning. "Many think they are magic. That they help heal people's injuries and their souls."

"Lucky for me that I need some healing then," he commented back playfully as he finished stripping off and climbed in with her. Eydie slid her arms around his shoulders as he tugged her closer to him by the waist. "I am sorry for being mad at you."

She shook her head. "You had every reason to be mad at me. You hadn't done anything wrong and I did hit you in the face with a shield. I should be the one apologizing," she said as he ran a hand up her back lightly.

"You saved my life. That's sorry enough." Eydie leaned forward and kissed him gently. Feeling the smile on his lips, Eydie slowly ran her hands over his broad shoulders and down his arms, pressing herself against him a little more and making him groan softly as her legs tightened around his waist. He leaned his head down on her shoulder, kissing her skin as she hugged him slightly and whispered that she was glad he was alive.

"Ah, I'm a fighter little one," he told her as he pulled back and pushed her against the bank of the spring, his hips crushing against hers. It was an act that made Eydie blush lightly as he kissed her tenderly and slid one hand round to pull her hair free of the messy bun she had it up in. It spilled down her shoulders and she grinned at him when he pulled away and played with the ends which were curled slightly from how dirty they were. "I missed you." It was not something one would here coming from a Saxon man's mouth often if at all but when he said it to her now, here; he meant it more than she probably knew.

Eydie traced the scar on his cheek and saw him look down for a moment. "What happened to you?" she inquired.

He shook his head. "It does not matter anymore." It was then he noticed the leather around her neck. Reaching out, he lifted the necklace from the water and saw it was no longer fully black. It now had lines of white running around it and he glanced at Eydie's face for a second before tugging on it but not enough to break the leather holding it round her neck, drawing her upper half a little closer to him. "All that matters now is staying safe."

She nodded before stroking his cheek. "We can't stay in here much longer, someone might come by," Eydie remarked. Though Liethan knew Eydie cared greatly for Cynric, he did not know that the Saxon had taken her as a lover, only Cyrene was knowledgeable to that as the woman was almost like a mother to Eydie at the moment and had seen the looks shared between them both. It was not something Eydie was ashamed of now that she knew where her feelings for Cynric were but Liethan may not agree to such a relationship when he knew of Eydie being promised to Orpheus.

Cynric stopped her from moving and slid a hand up along her thigh softly, causing her to lean her head back, eyes slipping shut as he smirked at how she reacted to his touch and leaned forward, his teeth nipping at her throat which made her shiver and moan softly.

* * *

Returning to the village, Eydie, whose cheeks were flushed and hair mused, made to leave Cynric when they got to his hut, only he held onto her hand, pulling her into his arms. They didn't realize they were being watched as he kissed her softly and whispered for her to stay with him. She smiled widely against him and leaned her head against his chest, saying she really shouldn't; that he needed to rest.

"How many rules have you broken already?" he replied to her which made her giggle a little. She remembered that only ten minutes ago she had not aided him in healing by their actions in the spring and Cynric merely said exactly before pulling her inside with him. The fire was already going in the centre of the room and Eydie sat down on the furs that served as Cynric's bed. As Cynric pulled his vest off, Eydie decided that it was a warm enough night and stood up, walking over to Cynric and taking hold of the laces of his breeches. He asked her what she was doing and only received an innocently mischievous smile back. Catching her hand in his, he said that his side was sore from earlier.

"I don't want to do that," she told him. "But it is warm enough that we can rest without clothes."

Cynric asked her if she was sure. Her only response was leaning up and kissing him sweetly before she turned away from him and untied her shirt. She had been given traditional Woad clothing from Cyrene who had helped her alter the clothing so they fitted her better. The shirt only covered her upper torso and down to her elbows, covering some of her Woad markings. The pants were similar to her old ones. They came down to her calves and she went barefoot more often than not since her last pair of boots had been ruined on the night she had met Cynric.

Letting the shirt fall off her back and down to the floor, Eydie looked over her shoulder to see Cynric watching her, his eyes leaving her face to move down her back. Her back bore Woad markings also and she was proud of each of the marks she had received over the past three years. She startled a little when he traced his fingers down one of the markings. It was a thick straight line down her right shoulder blade with two diagonal lines running through it. It represented her status. Guinevere had a similar one on her left shoulder blade only it had just one diagonal line through it.

Eydie shut her eyes as Cynric slid his hand down her back and rested it on her hip, leaning forward to kiss her shoulder before whispering something in Saxon to her. She asked him what it meant but he told her not to worry about it before saying that he needed to lay down.

* * *

Cynric laid on his good side and pulled Eydie back against his chest, his arm laying over her waist as she pulled the furs up. He kissed her cheek gently before murmuring a goodnight to her. Eydie returned it but she did not go to sleep as quickly as what he did. Her mind was still trying to decipher what Cynric had said to her in Saxon, but it was impossible when she did not speak a single sound of his native tongue. His arm tightened around her waist a few times and she smiled a little at how he liked to be as close as possible to her when he slept. His body was curled round hers and made her feel safe. All thoughts of home, her family, what she had done wrong were all out of her mind. The spring had helped clear her mind and Cynric had also. She enjoyed this new life and didn't feel like giving it up anytime soon.

* * *

A week or two passed by rather quickly and Cynric's side had begun to lessen in pain and difficulty to do tasks. As of two days ago, he had started training with a weapon and alongside the others, even adding in where they could do better. Eydie stayed with him every night after that initial one and each night he would speak those three words into her ear in Saxon just before he fell asleep. He wouldn't dare say it to her in Latin and Eydie had stopped asking him what he was saying after the third night of him refusing to and that it was nothing important, just a prayer. That was a very large lie but he was willing to stomach it, it was not like it was anything bad, in fact it was probably something that would be greeted by her with more than open arms, but he just didn't want to tell her yet.

Liethan had approached him one night when Eydie had been with Cyrene and asked him what his intentions with Eydie were, that he knew of her being in his hut during the nights. Cynric said his intentions were what they were and he didn't want to discuss it but that he wouldn't hurt Eydie. The man had accepted his answer and not pushed the subject any further.

As Cynric was showing some of the smaller warriors how to take someone larger than them down one afternoon, a scout raced over to Liethan who stood near Cynric listening to what he was saying. Stopping what he was doing, he walked over to the pair and the scout clasped forearms with him in greeting. "The villagers from the town are coming," he remarked and Cynric frowned. In his whole time here, no one had ventured into the Woad village or even close to it and that made him curious to know what had brought them here.

Liethan asked Cynric to join him and he nodded before Eydie appeared with fruit for both men. She smiled at Cynric as he leaned down and kissed her cheek affectionately which some of the Woad warriors made noises over, making Cynric laugh at them. Eydie told them all to go back to training before they get worse than they already were.

Following Liethan, Cynric threaded his fingers with Eydie's and brought her hand up to his lip before twirling her round and smiling at her as she laughed.

The townsfolk were just arriving at the centre of the village as Liethan and company reached the place. Some Woads acted like they were busy doing tasks close to the meeting in order to hear what was going on.

Markam was a round man with a nice and good nature about him. Liethan and he both tried to live in their respected ways peacefully alongside each other and aiding one another when necessary. He greeted Liethan and Cyrene before turning to look at Eydie and Cynric. The man frowned suddenly and called to his men to catch the Saxon before them. Cynric stepped in front of Eydie as she made to say something as the guards of the village magistrate advanced. Liethan asked for them to stay their weapons that the Saxon here was not to be harmed. That he was part of their village and as such he was not to be treated like a Saxon.

Despite not liking the sight of him, Markam nodded and his men returned to stand behind him. Cynric stepped forward and held a hand out to the man who clearly didn't know whether or not to accept the greeting. "You can accept it or not, but I'm of no harm to anyone unless they try to hurt anyone here," Cynric told the man. "Please, a gesture of good will, I don't have any fight with you or your men and I would like to keep it like that."

Markam smiled widely, asking him how he knew how to speak so well and Cynric just lifted a shoulder and grinned as the man took his hand and shook it firmly.

Liethan nodded at Cynric as he turned and stepped back to Eydie who wrapped her hands around one of his arms. "So what has brought you here Markam?"

"The appearance of Roman soldiers who have chosen not to return to whence they came and have ventured to our village and very close to your borders. I fear that they may be in mind to start causing conflicts with your people by beginning slave trading. I ask that your people, unless strong warriors not venture into the town and if they do come, please in numbers. I can only do so much to protect your people Liethan," the man stated and Eydie tightened her grip round Cynric's arm.

"Was there anything more?" Liethan pressed as Cyrene looked at Eydie and Cynric with a reassuring smile.

He nodded. "Arthur Castus of the wall has been crowned king of Briton and its people. He married princess Guinevere of your people. It is said that they are heading for a Southern kingdom called Camelot and many are following them, however he and his queen have asked for people to look for the younger daughter of Merlin, princess Eydie, she appears to have disappeared from their territory and they are worried about her safety."

Liethan thanked the man and wished them a safe return. Once the men had left, Liethan turned to look at Eydie who refused to meet his gaze. "Don't fret Eydie. I'm not going to send you back."

She whispered a thank you before Cynric drew her away from the gathering crowd who were about to be informed of the Romans.


	13. Chapter 13

_SHAMELESS PLUG HERE: Enjoy watching a trailer for this story on my new YouTube channel: FanfictionUnlimited and take a look round it, let me know what you think of the videos and have a look-see at the information on my here or on the channel for your chance to have me make a video for one of your stories._

_Yes I feel ashamed... Not! Haha, I really want to start having more stuff on fanfiction get out there and I think graphics like banners are great but the videos can be the ultimate way to gain a few readers who want to know what happens where and why and how and when. Lol. And I think its time to start doing that. I don't want fandoms to die out just because a few years have passed since the movie came out._

_Anyway, on with the story and an end to my ramblings. Enjoy!_

**Also thanks to Truda, Shelly and foxg2rl7 for their reviews. **

**_

* * *

_**

**Chapter Thirteen**

Cynric had gone into the village along with Liethan and Cyrene a few days after they'd been visited by Markham and told of the Roman soldiers. Liethan had asked him along not in a way to prove they were capable of defending themselves but because he knew that Cynric had been speaking to Eydie about wanting to find his men who had survived the battle. He thought some people in the village may have heard about a rough location of where the remaining Saxons were. He was worried about them, he didn't want them to do something stupid while without anyone to keep them under control.

The only news he received, after being extremely cautious on his choice of words, was that they had not been spotted for the past week or so but had last been seen north-east of where the battle of Badon hill had been fought. He hadn't asked anything more as Liethan had joined him at that point in the tavern and Cyrene had come to tell them that they could head back whenever they wished as Liethan and she both had gathered what the village had needed prior to finding him.

By the time they returned it was dark and Eydie was sleeping soundly when he came to his hut. He smiled as he watched her roll over in her sleep, the fire in the middle of the room, highlighting her face in the dark. Crawling in with her, he wrapped his arms around her tightly and felt her lean in against him. He kissed her softly on the temple. "You're back."

He grinned and chuckled. "Did I wake you? I thought you were asleep," he replied.

She ran a hand down his chest and lifted her head up slightly. "I couldn't sleep actually," she stated making him chuckle again.

His hand trailed down her slim waist and hips. As much as he cared for her, Cynric felt as though he would break her at times whenever he was somewhat rough with her. No matter how many times she told him that she was stronger than her appearance led people to think, he didn't exactly believe her. This time was no exception either. She leaned in closer to him, molding her tiny figure against like it had been made to fit against him and him alone.

Raising her eyebrow at her, Cynric rolled them over so she lay beneath him, one hand holding hers above their heads as his other kept himself lifted off her slightly so as not to crush her. Eydie smiled shyly at him as he pulled back from kissing her. "Still shy?" he asked, bumping his head against hers lightly. She just gave him a look that said yes and he grinned, kissing her softly. "You shouldn't be with me. Not now."

Eydie made to say something when the sound of commotion outside drew his attention. Getting up and grateful he had left his breeches on tonight from the cool weather, he pushed the fur that served as a door back a little. "What is it?" Eydie asked, coming to stand behind him, placing a hand on his arm.

"I'm not sure." He could hear Liethan arguing with someone in Woad and he stepped back a little, letting Eydie get closer so she could hear what they were saying. Before three words even got out of the mouth of the unknown man, Eydie had taken three steps back from the entrance, nearly stepping onto the fire. Cynric grabbed her arm in time and pulled her out of the danger. "What's wrong?"

"He is... he's from one of the villages back at Badon hill," she whispered. Cynric looked outside and saw the man. He was much older than Cynric that was for sure, even in the dark, they were close enough to see him by the large fire that burned in the town center much of the night to wade off any animals who might stray in.

"Who is he?" he inquired, watching the man curiously, already knowing why he was here.

* * *

"I told you already, if the princess came to me Orpheus, I would send her back heavily guarded and with notice but she has not come here," Liethan repeated for the sixth time.

Orpheus huffed, folding his arms over his chest. "I don't believe you. You have never liked sharing your own people's cause and I know that if she came and preached her ridiculous and childish nonsense as she is known to do, that you would immediately take her in," he accused, looking at the village leader with clear disdain.

Liethan pointed a finger at Orpheus as Cyrene watched from behind her husband. "You would do well to remember that the affairs of your village and its surrounding ones are none of my concern. You come to the villages in the north, thinking that the child is still alive. Anything could have happened to her. You yourself said she was on the battlefield. Did you check the decaying corpses that have no doubt been left to rot on the ground by your villages who are running with Merlin and his prophesied king to Camelot?"

Orpheus stepped in closer to the man. "I came here with my men to check for her, and check is what we shall do," he said slowly and quietly to Liethan who shouted at him that he was not to take a step near any of the villagers homes.

"You intend to start rivalries among our own people, Orpheus. She is a child, a child who is probably scarred at the moment if she is still alive. There are still Saxons alive, for all you know they could have taken her."

Orpheus didn't say a word in reply to the man only turned round to his warriors who had come with him.

* * *

"Cynric, we need to leave, now," Eydie said hastily, grabbing his arm tugging him away from the entrance to the hut.

He looked at her in confusion just before the fur was pushed back. Tiemon stepped in slowly and calmly. "Go. Out the back. Hurry," he told them. Cynric grabbed the sword he'd been given by Liethan not a week ago and followed Eydie as she lifted part of the furs aside. He hadn't noticed that before. The forest growth thankfully hid them as they moved and he ducked down into the shrub as Eydie made to keep going.

Grabbing her hand, he pulled her down beside him. "Cynric, we can't stay here, they'll search the forest," she whispered.

He nodded, holding a hand up to her. One of the warriors was moving closer to where they were crouched and Eydie looked as Cynric pulled a dagger from out of her boot. Realizing what he was going to do, she quickly grabbed his arm, and held fast. "Eydie, let me go," he ordered.

She shook her head. "Don't kill him," she pleaded. The look in his eyes showed her that the man who had been there before she had met him was still there and that he had just risen to the surface. "Please."

"Eydie, I can't take the risk," he replied back, caressing her cheek with his free hand as he smiled grimly at her.

"He is my of mine though, I... I..." She looked down, shutting her eyes as tears slid down her cheeks. "Please..."

The warrior was barely six feet from them and Cynric looked from him to Eydie and back again before shaking his head slightly and sighing weakly, putting the dagger back in her boot. She looked at him and saw he was more intent on the warrior. When the man turned away and ended back to the village, Cynric looked at Eydie. "We need to find a horse. Come on."

"We're not going back?" she asked as he took her hand and pulled her along.

"No. I don't want to put Liethan and the village in trouble or danger for helping me..." He stopped and turned round to look at her as she watched him in confusion. "Eydie... Look I'm no good at this; being with a woman and protecting her like I do you. I know that I'm nothing like you- in fact, I'm probably your polar opposite." Cynric knew he was confusing her even more with what he was saying. "If you want to go back to the village," he started, finding the words hard to stomach as he said them, "you can. I'm not going-"

Eydie stepped in closer to him, smiling a little at him. "If you think that I saved you just to let you leave me now, then you, my Saxon, are much thicker than I thought you were," she replied, stroking his cheek slightly. He grinned at her. "I'm young but I know what I feel, I know that this-" she paused to pull the necklace up to their eyes, "-this is where my heart wants to be."

Cynric looked at her as she moved in even closer to him. "You repeat those words to me in Saxon every other night. I want to know what you're saying to me," she added.

For once, he didn't feel stupid saying what he was about to say. Didn't feel like hell was going to open up beneath his feet and his father would drag him down to its depths. "I love you," he said straight forward.

The smile on her face made him smile back before he kissed her gently. "I love you too," she murmured against him. "And I am not leaving your side."

He pulled back and nodded, saying that they needed to move before they did end up being caught.

* * *

Cynric had found, or really _borrowed_, a horse from a house not far beyond the forest borders. Eydie hadn't really said anything bad about the fact that he was stealing it more than he was borrowing it as she was more curious as to where they were going to head from here. After riding for an hour or more, Eydie was half asleep on the back of the horse as Cynric held her upright. "Where are we going to go?" she asked softly.

"I don't know yet. I would like to find my men who survived the battle but they were near Badon hill last anyone heard, which means they could all be dead by now," he replied.

Eydie said they weren't and he asked how she knew that. "Liethan said to Orpheus that Saxons could have taken me for all they knew as I was on the battlefield," she told him, glancing up at him sadly.

"Who is Orpheus?" he pressed.

"I wish you hadn't asked me that," she whispered and he chuckled a little, tightening his arm round her waist.

"He is the man who you were..." She nodded at him, not really wanting to do or say much else about the man who seemed persistent to find her, despite he found her to be nothing more than a child, at least that is the opinion she got of him from earlier on. "Well, he can't take you away so long as he doesn't know where you are."

Eydie smiled a little and snuggled back against his chest. "I know," she said as sleep took over her.

* * *

Cynric was use to traveling long periods without rest but he hadn't been doing much of that lately and so his body had gotten use to sleep again making it hard for him to stay awake much longer after Eydie had slipped off. He was nearly slouching over the top of Eydie when he shook himself back awake. Slipping off the back of the horse, Cynric fixed Eydie so she wouldn't fall off before taking the reins and leading the horse as he walked, taking in the area around them. "What do you think?" he asked the horse suddenly who snorted a little back at him. He grinned. "Go find my men or find a new home for Eydie and me or head back to the village?"

The horse just nudged him twice. "Oh... so its find a new home, is it?" The horse nudged him once more and Cynric chuckled. "That one it is, but where? Half of this damned island are probably still looking for her and I am not exactly going to be able to walk into any place without being grabbed by the law."

* * *

Four days they traveled. In those four days, Cynric barely slept, more worried about where they were going to go than anything else. Eydie had become sick too the night before last and was not doing well, she was barely awake when he finally found some luck. In the thick of the forest, he found an old abandoned and in need of work home. It must've been empty for a while, it was big though and there was a place to tie up the horse to.

When he was sure that nothing was inside and found some furs that the former owners had left behind; turning them into a makeshift bed for them near the fireplace on the northern side of the room, Cynric carried Eydie inside and laid her down. She was shivering, as though cold, but she was burning up with a fever. He'd sat the whole night but when morning came and she showed no sign of change, Cynric was worried about what he was going to do. After careful thought and consideration, he decided that the nearest town would be his safest bet for helping her.

He sat beside her, pushing her hair back from her face as he said he needed to leave her alone for a little while. She was sleeping when he told her, and still when he left. He headed by foot to, leading the horse. They needed money and even though the horse was good company, Cynric valued the money that would come from selling him to help Eydie.


	14. Chapter 14

_SHAMELESS PLUG HERE: Enjoy watching a trailer for this story on my new YouTube channel: FanfictionUnlimited and take a look round it, let me know what you think of the videos and have a look-see at the information on my here or on the channel for your chance to have me make a video for one of your stories._

_Yes I feel ashamed... Not! Haha, I really want to start having more stuff on fanfiction get out there and I think graphics like banners are great but the videos can be the ultimate way to gain a few readers who want to know what happens where and why and how and when. Lol. And I think its time to start doing that. I don't want fandoms to die out just because a few years have passed since the movie came out._

_Anyway, on with the story and an end to my ramblings. Enjoy!_

**Also thanks to Truda, Shelly and foxg2rl7 for their reviews. **

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**Chapter Fourteen**

Eydie woke up to the feel of something touching her stomach. With her eyes shut, she tried to push the thing away from her, but had no energy to do so. Slowly opening her eyes, she glanced round to see who it was. The face was blurred but the clothing showed it was one of her own people. Where was she? Turning her head at hearing the familiar voice on the opposite side to this person, Eydie found another blurred face. "Where am I?"

"Safe. Cynric found somewhere safe- for now. You're very sick." It was her mother's voice.

"You... you haven't spoken to me since the day of the battle... why now?" she replied groggily as she tried to curl herself up into a ball and keep herself warmed by the fire.

"Cynric went to go find something to help you so we decided to watch over you."

Eydie shook her head. "I don't... don't... want you near me," she said back as harshly as she could muster. "You said there would be consequences for saving him, is this it?"

"No child, this isn't. We're unsure of what the consequences of what you did will be," Cynric's mother told her.

Eydie shut her eyes again, praying and hoping for sleep to come back to her. "Then leave me alone. Whatever it is, I'll deal with it when it comes."

"You need to know Eydie, you're-"

"Go away!" she snapped back, pulling the fur over her head a little more. "I don't want you near me. You left me with father and sister, expecting that it would make me something I'm not? And you left Cynric, making him follow his father and try to be like him when he isn't." Despite it was taking up her energy, Eydie wanted to say what she thought. "We are not the people our parents are, nor are we the people that you and they are trying to make us."

A sigh told her that they were not going to say anything more in return and after a few seconds she opened her eyes to find them gone, though she had a feeling they were still watching her intently. At that, she wondered if they had been watching her since she'd first come to Cynric's attention. If so, she prayed they gave them their privacy when they were intimate. She didn't need the knowledge of whether they were but they had better hope they didn't.

* * *

Cynric sighed from where he'd taken up a place in the back corner of the tavern. His drink was nearly empty and he was already weary from his thoughts as he watched the people in there. A woman was serving a table of six rowdy and loud Romans. He wondered if many of them had run back to Rome at all when the others had as a large number of them seemed to have stayed behind as it looked. At another table sat four men covered in hoods. They were large too. For a moment, Cynric mistook them as being Saxon but shook his head, knowing they wouldn't be as stupid as he had by coming in here. The other few occupants seemed to be regular drunks from the village itself and Cynric just brushed their occasionally loud ramblings off about the notion of a Woad princess being kidnapped during the heat of battle by his people. He did grin a little to himself as he thought about how she had basically dived head first into a battle she hadn't wanted any part in to save him. That little thought in itself made him know just how much she cared for his life.

He hadn't been exactly a kind host to her at first and he knew that even with all thoughts aside of how much he loved her, he wasn't going to be able to go home with Eydie. She wasn't Saxon and she wasn't from a surrounding tribe or nation. She was Woad. That in itself would spell her immediate execution at the hands of the tribe leaders and he wouldn't have the power to stop it from happening until after he was made king.

"Who needs a kingdom anyway?" He glanced to his left and found a woman sitting beside him. At first, he didn't recognize her, however when he noticed the Saxon markings running up her left forearm, he stopped. The eyes were nearly identical to his own. Looking around, he wondered whether or not anyone else could see her. "They can't." Looking back at her, Cynric found her smiling at him and just picked up his cup, asking her mentally what she wanted. "It all depends on you and her. The little Woad. Cynric, she isn't like you. You are not like her... You said that yourself and yet still you will keep her when it could mean both your necks."

"I'm not stupid, and that isn't going to happen," he mumbled round his cup so no one else would notice him speaking and think him to be crazy.

"Fine, you're some prophet then son? You are nothing more than a shadow of your father. You can't live in hiding with her forever," she told him, losing her smile.

Cynric looked at her coldly. He hated being compared to his father, even when the man was still alive he had hated it. Putting his cup down, he looked round and ran a hand down his face. "I'm not his shadow. I'm better than him. I can deal with my hate, with my problems. I won't need to hide forever."

"You have not earned her love Cynric. She has earned yours and what has it gotten her; the child believes you to be caring and kind, she is now in her own lands and a fugitive. Things are not as simple as hiding!"

He glared at her. His love for his mother had been strong but he hadn't expected her to show up and torment him with things that he half knew of already. "They can be."

"No they can't! Cynric you can't hide a family! What will happen if she has a child? You are not fit to be a father as you let your own die," she accused.

Cynric got up from the table silently and left. He had gotten half down the street when a hand grabbed his arm and dragged him into a small alleyway, shoving him back into the wall. The cloaked men from inside the tavern had followed him it seemed as three now stood round him. "Who are you?" he asked as the one holding him against the wall let him go.

That same one laughed a little and pushed his hood back. Cynric left out half a relieved chuckle, clasping forearms with Abrecan before the pair hugged one another. "See you survived the fight and got away," he mused as the others removed their hoods to reveal one of his former bodyguards and a soldier from one of the other battalions.

"We didn't think you had made it, until you came into the tavern," Abrecan remarked. "How'd you survive, I saw you fighting one of the knights and you were half dead."

He smiled at his lieutenant. "I have an angel on my side," he commented and the bodyguard immediately guessed it to be Eydie. Cynric nodded.

"Where is she?" Abrecan explained where they were outside of the village and Abrecan said he knew of the place, they'd originally passed it days ago on there way in. "Why isn't she with you now?"

"She's sick," he answered. "I needed to find something to help her. But now... I have a healer." Abrecan grinned, nodding.

* * *

They all left separately and covered, making sure to avoid the checkpoints that travelers had to pass through to get out of the village by use of an old cow herders way. On there way back to the house, Cynric questioned the six of his men who were now with him on what they had done to survive. "We didn't need to do much. The ships on the coast we came in on are still there. Your father made us leave supplies there. That was where we were staying, waiting for others only Roman troops were patrolling in numbers and we had to leave. Apparently this new king of this damned island as issued warrants for the deaths of any remaining Saxons. What about you?"

Cynric looked Abrecan who just raised an eyebrow at him. "A Woad village in north. Eydie took me there when she pulled me off the battlefield. They healed me and we stayed with them up until about five nights ago. Woads from the Badon hill villagers came looking and we had to move on. Eydie got sick while we were traveling two days ago and then I found the place she's at now. It was abandoned when we came upon it."

* * *

Eydie hadn't moved from where she was curled up in a ball under the furs, too exhausted to do so. She was half-awake when she heard voices coming closer to the building. Her fear spiked as she tried to get up and find any of the weapons they had brought with them but found herself crawling from then walking to do so. Retrieving one of her daggers, she pulled herself up using an old table that was just able to support her and waited as the door opened.

Her body relaxed almost as soon as she saw Cynric, causing her to nearly collapse to the floor. He moved forward and caught her, picking her up and laying her back down on the furs. She looked at the owners of the other voices and found herself meeting Abrecan's concerned gaze. "You're alive?" she asked as he came over to her.

He chuckled and nodded. "As are you little one. I didn't think I'd be seeing you again." She smiled a little and turned her eyes to the roof of the house.

* * *

After Abrecan had helped Eydie as best as he could with whatever they had, the Saxon men all found places around the room to collapse and were sitting there when Abrecan asked Cynric what they were going to do. "To be honest, I'm not sure," he answered. "I was intending on staying here for as long as I could with Eydie until we had to move on again, but we'd run out of places to run. Not to mention, I wasn't expecting to run into any of you."

Nodding, the healer and lieutenant decided to risk being shouted out and suggest what he was thinking. "What if- we left all together?" Cynric looked from Eydie to Abrecan and shook his head. "Why not? It is better than being hunted for the rest of our lives on this island."

"I can't go."

"Why not Cynric?" Turning to look at his bodyguard, he sighed heavily.

"Because I cannot take her with me," he admitted. The men tried to argue until Cynric explained what he knew to be the straight up future if he were to return with Eydie to his home. They all saw the reasoning behind it and knew that he was not going to budge in his decision once he made it up. "Look, you're my men... technically I am King now but I can't go back. You all can, and say I died here, I am not stopping any man who wants to return but I am not joining you."

"You really care that much for someone who isn't your own?" Abrecan asked as he looked at Eydie who was sleeping.

Cynric nodded. "I do but I'm not expecting you all to stay behind and follow me because you feel like I need you to. I don't and I know many of you are homesick," he told them all.

The Saxon men all shared glances between the other. They all had made up their minds and Cynric knew what it was going to be. "I'm staying." He glanced at Abrecan and made to argue with him as the rest of the party gathered their things ready to head out and back for the ships that were going to be their way home. "And be quiet will you." Cynric smirked slightly back at him. "Prince... King you may be, but you gave us choices and I am not going to leave your side now that I know you're alive."

Cynric thanked him.


	15. Chapter 15

_Watch a trailer for this story on my new YouTube channel: FanfictionUnlimited and take a look round it, let me know what you think of the videos and have a look-see at the information on my here or on the channel for your chance to have me make a video for one of your stories._

**Despite that I'm sick, I decided to work on a few chapters of this. Its taking a different direction to the one I originally had planned which would've seen Eydie and Cynric stay in the northern tribe for longer, but I decided this new way as it'll make a few things happen just a little quicker and put into plan the rest of the story *smiles* So enjoy what my tired brain has managed to come up with for you all. **

**PS. To Mimi who reviewed a chapter or so back. Try Story of Seduction under this fandom, one of the first fictions I read on here and its worth a look at in my opinion, especially if you're enjoying this one. And thanks for the review too.  
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**Chapter Fifteen**

Guinevere sighed heavily as she stood at one of the windows in the study, looking out to the north. It had been a few months since the battle of Badon hill and Eydie's sudden disappearance and she was not at all liking the talk that was spreading about how Eydie had run off with another Woad or that she had been killed in the battle. Even though they had their differences, Guinevere did not wish to never see her little sister again, especially since the news that their baby brother Wulf was now dead.

"Eydie," she whispered. "Where are you?"

"Are you alright?" She turned, somewhat startled. Lancelot apologized to her and asked his question again.

"I'm just worried about my sister, is all," she replied, turning back to the window.

Lancelot came up beside her and put a hand on her shoulder. "If she is anything like what I saw of her when she was here with us, then she is fine and in a safe place. She'll come back, she may not be able to yet, something might be troubling her."

Guinevere smiled a little and looked at the knight. "My sister doesn't like stone walls. Even when she was little, she was afraid of places like this. Something about never truly feeling free while within walls that were not easily torn down."

He chuckled. "She sounds like my type of girl," he joked before turning to face Arthur who asked them what was so funny. Lancelot and Guinevere looked at one another and just Lancelot just said that he had taken an interest in one of the tavern girls, to which Arthur rolled his eyes at.

* * *

In the time that pass, Eydie did recover though it took some time for her to regain her strength. Abrecan and Cynric had managed to keep them hidden from the rest of the world while they stayed in the old home, no one ever came out here unless lost and Abrecan would always be the one to give them directions. Cynric was not far away one morning in the river bathing when Eydie woke up with her stomach violently rejecting its contents. This was the third such morning that it had happened.

While her strength was back, she had been sleeping a little longer in the mornings after breakfast which had been no concern. "Eydie?" Abrecan inquired, wondering what was ailing her now.

"I'm fine," she replied quickly as she lay back down on the bed she and Cynric shared now on the east side of the fire place while Abrecan's was opposite them. "Really."

"No, you're not," he told her sternly. "This is the third morning that you've been sick. That is not fine and nothing."

Sighing, Eydie already half knew what was wrong with her but was not brave enough to say it herself aloud. Abrecan however told her to let him look at her and try to find out what was wrong with her. Not two seconds into his looking and Abrecan knew what was the cause. "Eydie."

"I know what you have to do," she remarked, embarrassed. "I'm pregnant. I guessed yesterday morning as I woke up before I'd eaten anything." She was a healer herself, a young one but not inexperienced with childbirth. Most of the children under three had been delivered by Eydie and another healer who had taught her what she knew.

Abrecan looked down and sighed heavily. "You'll need to do something about this."

She frowned. "What do you mean?" she asked as she covered her stomach with her hands.

"Nothing bad I mean, unless you wish to, but you need to tell Cynric, talk with him about it. This is not a good time to be with child Eydie, anything could happen and you aren't married to Cynric, that will make things difficult if we have to move and actually enter into a village," he said. Abrecan didn't like the fact that Eydie was with child and she could guess that just by the look on his face.

"Lies work a million and one wonders sometimes lieutenant," she told him.

Abrecan shook his head as he stood up. "He doesn't need to be worrying about two of you. He doesn't have power anymore."

Eydie frowned. "Do you want him to return home?" she inquired, turning to look at the fire.

"Yes I do. But only for his safety." He lifted a hand to the back of his neck. "You wouldn't be allowed to come, actually he has made it clear that is why he stays here."

She turned to face the lieutenant, confused. Eydie knew that there had been others here who had returned to the coast and were heading for their homeland but Cynric had chosen to stay... because she couldn't leave? "I don't understand. Why wouldn't I be? He is their king technically, he has power-"

"Not power over such things like what would happen to you. Only his mother was saved from execution and that did not leave many happy," Abrecan told her. "Outsiders are not welcome among our people. You, you are Woad. If he returned with you, telling them that you are his lover and you are now carrying his child; the tribe leaders would order your execution before Cynric had a chance to save you."

Eydie felt her heart drop. "Then why, if you are so against him staying, not trying to talk him into leaving?"

"Because I have been trying, since the day we reunited I have been trying to. He doesn't belong in this life Eydie, he is a prince. You are a princess here, you're a savage who belongs on this damned island. He doesn't."

Eydie looked at the Saxon man with disdain. "Then I will save you any further efforts lieutenant," she snapped at him before leaving him alone. Abrecan sighed heavily, knowing this was not going to help his case with getting Cynric to return.

* * *

Cynric saw Eydie leave the house and head down the path towards him and frowned, wondering why she looked so angry. Eydie did not look like herself when she was angry and Cynric had seen her mad a few times and never thought it suited her. "What's wrong?" he asked when she was within hearing distance of him.

"Are you staying here only because I can't go back with you?" she replied and Cynric stopped, wondering for a moment what she was talking about until he thought back to what Abrecan had been telling him everyday.

"No I'm not," he told her.

She poked him in the chest with a finger. "You're not. Then tell me the truth right now."

"What truth?" he demanded. "What is the question that you need to know the truth to? Ask it and I'll answer it!" Eydie paused for a moment, almost as though she actually didn't know what her question was. He looked up seeing Abrecan walking towards them and glowered slightly.

"What did you say to her?" he ordered his former lieutenant who shook his head.

Eydie sneered at the older man. "He said that you were staying here because I wouldn't be able to come back with you without walking to my death."

"I was merely telling the truth."

Cynric shut his eyes for a moment and let out a deep breath as he rubbed his eyes. "What... What brought this discussion up in the first place?" he asked, looking at the pair. Abrecan knew his thoughts and his choice on whether he was staying or going, he had made that clear to him everyday but it seemed the man was not listening to him like he should have been. There was a long silence as Abrecan folded his arms over his chest and regarded the small Woad who now didn't look one bit angry, if anything she looked nervous and worried as she looked at the ground. "Well, either of you gonna answer me?"

"It... It started when he was making sure I was alright."

"And why was he doing that?" Cynric pressed, though he could guess Eydie didn't want to be continuing on with what she now had to.

"Because the past few mornings I've been waking up and vomiting, even when I haven't eaten," she continued and placed her hands over her stomach. "Cynric... I... I'm..."

"She's with child," Abrecan interrupted Eydie, knowing she was just going to continue to stutter while trying to get it out.

Cynric stopped and looked at where Eydie was covering her stomach. He didn't once say a word only took hold of one of her hands and pulled her into his chest, wrapping an arm around her. Abrecan shook his head as Cynric glanced at him. "How far?"

"Probably a month or two, since I've been here you two haven't, so it would've been a time before that when the child was conceived," Abrecan said. "Cynric?"

"Abrecan, you've been a bodyguard, a lieutenant, a friend and a father to me at times but I don't want you to stay here on this island. You have a wife and a son back home. They need you more than I do now. You chose to stay and I didn't argue but now I'm ordering you. A final order if you will, from a prince to his soldier. Return home, please." The Saxon man knew that he was not going to win with words now and hung his head, saying yes sir to the younger man. "I'll be fine here, I'm more content here than I was back there anyway. They'll find someone to take my place, they probably already have."

Abrecan just nodded and looked up as Cynric kissed Eydie and said he loved her. The former lieutenant and healer felt a pang of pain in his heart when he saw the affection between the pair. He did miss his wife and watching his son grow. He didn't want to just leave Cynric's side though, he was right in saying that he was a friend, and that made leaving him here a hard thing to stomach. Lying to his people and saying that he was gone and wouldn't return only made it worse knowing Cynric would never return to his home.

* * *

That night, Eydie lay in bed as Abrecan left for the coast. She had apologized to him and said she hoped he found his family safe. He had told her not to apologize and told her to look after his lord otherwise he would come back. Cynric came back inside and smiled at her, but she wasn't looking at him. Her hands were covering her stomach and he came over, kneeling down over her legs and pulling her hands out of the way. She made to move, only he leaned down and kissed her stomach, making her smile a little.

"I promise when this little one is born, we'll be some place where we won't need to run anymore," he whispered, looking up at her. Eydie nodded, threading her fingers with his as he came up and kissed her passionately.

"Are you sure about having it? I mean... its a lot with all the trouble we're in at the moment," she asked as he pulled her shirt off her. It had been a while since Cynric had been able to see her like this and he grinned at her after he discarded his own shirt.

"I am sure," he told her. Eydie wrapped her arms around his naked back, her fingers digging into the muscles there and making him tense up a little. "I'm not afraid of whatever they're gonna throw our way, Eydie. If I was, I would be running back home like a coward." Eydie giggled at him as he leaned down to nuzzle her neck, tickling her a little with his beard.


	16. Chapter 16

_Watch a trailer for this story on my new YouTube channel: FanfictionUnlimited and take a look round it, let me know what you think of the videos and have a look-see at the information on my here or on the channel for your chance to have me make a video for one of your stories._

**Mimi- no problem, plus you suggested and well... half of this chapter is dedicated to you. Enjoy. **

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**Chapter Sixteen  
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Waking up early the next morning, Eydie stretched out a little and felt the arm around her body tighten as she moved. Recalling last night, she smiled shyly a blush growing on her cheeks. She rolled over to face Cynric who was still sleeping soundly. Reaching up, she traced his mouth with her thumb with a feather lite touch, watching as he smiled a little in his sleep. Brushing her knuckles against his scarred cheek Eydie wondered what Cynric would be classed in terms of looks. He certainly was handsome to her, but that wasn't what she could call him.

It was like he was more rugged and rough than anything but his features could be harsh at times and Eydie didn't know how people judge on looks, to her, he was what she liked and wanted. Lancelot. Now there was a face that she had not thought since the day of the battle. He was handsome, and very rugged. She found him attractive but not in the way that she did Cynric. After all, she was still wary of the knights and had only know the man for two days. He'd nearly kissed her too, which had confused her at the time as she had not shown any interest in him. That made her grin a little, she hadn't shown interest in Cynric either.

Her hand left his face and moved down his neck, tracing invisible lines and patterns, heading to his shoulder. He was broad and wide, even for a normal man without his armour on. But firm, solid and strong; he'd been raised to be hard. Eydie knew by the marks on his biceps that his battle count would never be bested by her own. She had been in one battle and did not plan on being in anymore. His bicep was smaller than when he showed his true muscle as he was relaxed now and Eydie found it to be one part of him she liked to hold onto when she could. The strength in them when they held her always made her feel safe, like she was being shielded off from any and all bad things.

She moved to his hand. A smile came to her lips as she ghosted her own fingers over his and silver ring on one of them. It was about the only thing aside from his armour and weapons that he had showing where he was from. Moving back up his arm, she brushed her hand down his chest. It was like his arms but not as solid, when she laid her head on it, she felt like it was the perfect pillow for her and she could hear his heart when she did that too.

Eydie moved her fingers to his stomach but as she brushed over his scar from the sword Lancelot had dug into him, a hand caught her own, startling her.

"Don't," he grunted to her. She knew it probably was a little tender still and she quickly said she was sorry. He chuckled. "Don't be sorry. I was enjoying it until you got me there."

"You were awake?" she asked. "The whole time?"

Despite his eyes were closed, he smirked at her. "Since I felt you stretch against me." Eydie went a little red at that but shook her head before pushing herself up. Cynric opened his eyes as she pushed his shoulder down onto the furs, rolling him onto his back. Eydie straddled his waist, the fur covering her from her naval down and her hair covering her breasts. Placing his hands behind his head, he smiled up at her as she rested her hands against his chest. "Were you having fun?"

She nodded, smiling a little at him. "I just liked to feel you as I was thinking about some things."

"Like?" he urged.

Eydie lifted one shoulder up a little. "Just how you look- like why you're so solid and big. It was somewhat dimwitted pondering," she answered.

He laughed a little. "Not dimwitted. You're curious and I doubt many Woad men are built like me?" She nodded in reply. "Another thing that makes fighting them harder; I'm bigger and stronger, but they have speed on their side."

"Like Guinevere showed when she saved me from Raewald," she added. Cynric looked at her, frowning a little and asked her how long she was on that battlefield before she found him. "Too long. Raewald hit me in the face with his shield and Guinevere, along with two other women, brought him down. I stabbed him in the chest with my dagger. I killed another Saxon before I got to you." Cynric lifted himself up on one elbow and reached up to stroke her cheek.

"You didn't need to come and get me," he told her. She shook her head and covered his hand with both of her small ones.

"Yes I did," she said, kissing his palm lightly. "If I didn't, I would be married to Orpheus at this point in time and hating myself for letting you die out there."

"After all I've done, dying would've reprieved me of it all," he stated. "Especially what I would've put you through."

She leaned down as his hand slid up round her neck and kissed him. "You're in a new life. Forget whatever bad things you did. Just try and do good and protect," she murmured against him. He laughed.

Eydie felt his hand grip her thigh underneath the fur and she moved against him. "Help me forget them then," he said as he felt her hands run over his chest and down his stomach, missing his scar, making him groan softly against her mouth as her nails scraped across his skin. Cynric loved whatever time in bed with Eydie he got; whether it was making love to her or just holding her. From the first time he'd claimed her, Cynric hadn't actually wanted to let her go. It hadn't been in his nature to feel such things at the time and it had scared him enough for him to leave the bed that night after she'd woken up that first time.

Now was different. Now she was his and his alone. He still needed to protect her and be a warrior but he also had to remember he was going to be a father as well and wanted to be round to see his child, son or daughter, grow up. Cynric knew that with all the trouble he'd had with being treated like nothing more than a soldier by his own father was going to make it hard to remember to not be that way with his own child.

Eydie's lips on his neck pulled him from his thoughts and he grinned, rolling her down beneath him, his body settling against hers as the furs slipped down a little. One of his hands entwined with hers as he said he loved her.

* * *

She looked up as Cynric moved around the hut, starting a fire in the hearth with only a fur around his waist. An unwavering smile was on her face as she relaxed in the after effects of their lovemaking. Eydie knew she was inexperienced compared to many others but Cynric never seemed to care about that fact. He seemed to care more about making her feel a thousand and one things at once over dealing with her inexperience and testing touches.

Laying there, she smiled when he came back over to her and rested over her. He picked up the necklace, his necklace, from her throat and looked at it for a moment. She noticed his far off expression and smiled, turning the tides on him and pushing him back down onto the end of the furs, her mouth covering his in a passionate kiss. After a moment, she felt him smile against her, his hands going to her neck and arm.

She pulled back after a moment and ran a hand down his cheek, biting her lower lip. "I love you," she murmured.

"I love you too," he chuckled.

* * *

Days, weeks passed and they were able to stay where they were, hidden to everyone outside and able to live quietly by themselves. The only time that became dangerous was when Eydie would go into the village. She had insisted going over Cynric because at least she would be able to blend in where as he stuck out which was not something they needed occurring.

At times, he would go in. Only to drink in the tavern. It was something that above all he did miss. Drinking. It had calmed him so much at times and growing up in a world where it was as common as picking up a sword. Which was what every Saxon man lived for. Or at least thought they did.

Eydie was around seven months pregnant when that peaceful life was ended by the appearance of Roman's in the village.

He looked at her and sighed heavily, shaking his head as he watched her pull the green dress on. She had brought it with her from the wall and still had it. "Eydie, we are not in need of the things. Wait until they are gone from the village," he told her as she looked at him. He found her to be more beautiful than when he'd first laid eyes on her in her current condition; thick and unruly hair hung down her back and when she turned to face him, he smiled at the sight of her swollen stomach. "Please, I don't have a good feeling about this and I don't want you or the baby in danger."

"They didn't notice me last time, they won't notice me this time Cynric and I need to see the healer, please," she put her hand to his cheek. "Trust me."

He looked from the floor up to her face and shook his head. "I would trust you any other time, but one bypass does not mean they won't see you this time," he murmured, looking at her with worry.

"If I'm not back near dark, come and get me. If I have any trouble I'll stay in the healer's. He didn't mind last time when Woads were there," she told him.

Cynric looked back at the ground, even with his disagreement on the whole situation, he knew she would go either way. "Be careful and do not draw attention to yourself," he whispered. She leaned up to kiss him and he stopped her when she made to leave. She looked up at him before down to where his hand rested over her stomach. Covering her hand with his own, Eydie squeezed it reassuringly before startling when the baby kicked suddenly.

His smile couldn't have been anymore wider she thought as he looked up at her in surprise. The baby had kicked a few times but Cynric had never been able to feel any when she'd tried to show him. Eydie giggled as he told the baby to look after her so they would both come back to him. "Don't worry so much Cynric, I'll be fine. I promise."


	17. Chapter 17

**Sorry bout the wait for this chapter I got stuck with it a few times, it hasn't turned out all too great- I don't think, let me know, cause as I said- got stuck a few times. **

**Hope you enjoy it.**

_Watch a trailer for this story on my new YouTube channel: FanfictionUnlimited and take a look round it, let me know what you think of the videos and have a look-see at the information on my here or on the channel for your chance to have me make a video for one of your stories._

**_

* * *

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**Chapter Seventeen  
**

Eydie had successfully managed to keep hidden from the Roman soldiers considering they were in the tavern and she was on the opposite side of the village in the healer's hut. She had warily come in, not really knowing how the baby was doing. A large smile had come to her face the second the healer, a Woad, had told her how well it was doing. She wished she knew whether it would be a little boy or girl just so she could tease Cynric, knowing that he was wanting to know the same thing.

The back pains that she had been getting over the past month or so were even tolerable with how close she was to having the baby. She was especially glad that Cynric was so attentive to her and rubbed her back whenever she complained of how uncomfortable it was. He'd done so last night when they'd been laying in bed, his hands had wondered a little while he was doing so and Eydie had found that she was incredibly sensitive at the moment not that it had made things bad, in fact it had been really good.

Her breasts especially seemed to be something Cynric liked while she was pregnant, they had grown over the last few months which had been slightly amusing to watch Cynric get distracted by them at times for no absolute reason.

When she had first come to the healer who was a Woad living in the village due to marrying a Roman woman, Cynric had come with her. He had explained the situation and who they were and he had admitted he was surprised that the healer had promised them to keep their identities hidden from everyone.

His only concern was that it was small and Eydie had to make sure not to endure much stress if any at all to make sure that she didn't give birth too early.

As she pulled on her cloak at the door, saying goodbye to the healer, it swung open. The healer steadied Eydie who nodded at him only to find him pull her back towards him as a Roman soldier stepped into the door frame. His helmet was tucked under his arm, revealing a middle aged soldier with a large gash running down the side of his face.

Eydie ducked her head when he looked at her and she felt sudden worry rip through her. She diverted her attention to the floor as best as she could. The Roman walked in like he was almost king of everything around him and turned to look at the healer and small girl, who quickly thanked the old healer before walking as quickly as her current condition would allow her to out of the place.

The Roman watched her go and glanced at the healer, raising an eyebrow. "She's a bit young for a babe of her own," he mused.

"She is a little older than her face would make people believe, lord," the healer replied watching as another soldier came in.

The man just looked back at the healer and with some disdain. "A Woad too. Married or not?"

Despite that it was untrue, the healer said that Eydie was married and to a strong warrior who looked after her well. As the Roman sat down in a chair and waited for the healer to fix the cut on his face.

While the healer was in the back, he ordered him to keep an eye on the small girl who had just left.

* * *

Cynric had been holding his breath the entire time Eydie was gone, his heart in his throat and felt sick that he'd actually let her go. He knew that those Roman soldiers would be trouble if they did take an interest in Eydie despite her condition. When the door opened, Cynric looked up and let out a large sigh in relief, standing up and crossing the room, hugging her tightly.

She giggled a little and Cynric would never get over how she viewed the world compared to the way he did.

"How is it?" he asked, covering her stomach for a moment. Eydie smiled up at him, pulling his head down so she could kiss his lips softly.

"Fine. Small but strong," she answered, pulling the cloak off and then stopping when he told her he wanted to know if she had encountered any of the Romans. She nodded. "Only one. As I was leaving, he came into the healers. I didn't speak, I just left."

Cynric nodded and watched her set what she had got down on the table. He ran a hand down his face as she pulled the small pieces of fur across the windows to shield out the now setting sun's glare. "Eydie we can't hide forever, you can't when your whole family is probably worried to death that you are in trouble," he said suddenly.

Eydie glanced at him as she tried to reach round and unlace her dress. "I'm not going back," she told him stubbornly and he smiled, nodding.

"I'm not letting you go back." He walked over to her, seeing her struggling to undo the laces and did it for her. His hand slipped under the fabric and moved over her back. They skimmed her shoulders, pushing it off her and he ran his hands down her arms, watching the dress slid to the floor. Cynric had to admire Eydie's changed figure in the past few months greatly and he did not hide that fact. She was no longer thin and frail looking. Now, due to the baby her hips were full and round, her breasts were swollen and larger and he grinned as he brushed his hand down over her hips, round to her thighs. He heard her sigh heavily and leaned his head against her shoulder, kissing her neck lightly. "You're mine. Whether anyone else likes it or not."

"I'm yours?" she inquired and he smirked seeing the small grin at the corner of her mouth.

"I'm the only one who gets to see you like this, looking more beautiful than when I first saw you," he said as he slid his hands round her middle, covering her belly, "and I'll always be the only one to."

She nodded at him and turned in his arms, kissing him gently. "I love you."

* * *

When Eydie woke up the next morning, laying beside Cynric, she sighed heavily, biting her knuckle as she thought about whether or not to wake him up and tell him she was going back into the village. She knew it would only start an argument and that he would find something to prove his point that she shouldn't go. Looking at where he lay on his stomach, his arms stretched up and underneath the furs they used for pillows. He looked so content for a man who had originally had a kingdom at his feet and now had nothing more than a girl and their child on the way.

Eydie saw more to the reasoning that yesterday she had forgotten to ask people about what was happening in the south and whether the law to kill or turn in Saxons had been lifted yet. Slipping out of his arms and kissing him lightly on the cheek once she was dressed, Eydie whispered that she loved him. He shifted a little but didn't wake up which Eydie was grateful for.

* * *

The village was already awake by the time Eydie arrived. She smiled at the healer who waved her over to him. "Eydie, why are you here?" he inquired. "I thought Cynric was trying to keep you home as much as possible because of-" Eydie followed the direction he motioned in and saw the Roman soldiers and quickly diverted her attention.

"He tried, but he was asleep and I am restless," she replied. "I also needed to ask what was happening in the south."

He chuckled. "Just be careful."

"I will."

Eydie didn't notice the Roman soldier actually come towards her as she talked to a woman who was behind a stall of flowers until she felt a hand run up the back of her arm lightly, startling her. Turning a little, she smiled at the man before moving closer to the table, her hand beneath her cloak covering her stomach as she listened to the man speak to the woman in front of her. The hair on the back of her neck stood up. When a flower came up before her, Eydie looked at the Roman soldier and smiled a little before shaking her head. "Sorry my Lord, but I cannot accept it."

"Why not?" he inquired.

"Because I fear my husband would be angry if I did or anyone were to see and tell him," she replied bluntly and saw the flower woman grin a little at her response.

The Roman pulled a face. "I'm sure your husband would not object to the knowledge of having such a beautiful young wife who gains the attention of men around her without much trying," he said and Eydie looked at the ground for a moment. "Please, a gift is all I wish to give you and hope you're child is as beautiful as you when born."

Despite wary, Eydie finally accepted the flower and nodded her head to him a little, unable to bow due to her belly. "Thank you, Lord."

When he walked off Eydie turned back to the flower woman and gave her a look. "Romans," she grumbled. The woman laughed a little in return.

"Truly girl, you are quite passionate in your hate for them. I am surprised you weren't at the Battle of Badon Hill."

Eydie grimaced. "I was. I didn't wish to be originally but a person life changes so face that one day you're a simple healer in training in a small village and the next you are fighting alongside Sarmatian knights in order to protect your homeland."

* * *

Eydie had been heading back to the gate that she came and left through around an hour or so later when she heard heavy footsteps behind her. Deciding to pretend like she didn't notice it, she turned right and headed for the healer's hut, pretending to be having small contractions. Opening the door, she stepped inside and made a gesture towards the door as the healer inquired as to what was wrong, realizing all too late the door opened and the Roman soldier with the cut down his face who had given her the flower earlier walked in. Eydie looked at the healer who asked him what he wanted.

"The girl. Decided she'd make some high payer in Gaul a nice slave," he mused, smirking cruelly at Eydie who recoiled back and shook a little.

"You can't put too much stress on the poor girl, not in her condition," the healer told him only to be pushed out of the way. The Roman wrapped his hand around Eydie's thought, squeezing tightly as he forced Eydie to meet his gaze.

"If you don't come with me. I'll burn this entire town and make sure that this-" he began and placed his hand over her stomach made her look down in fright, her eyes wide as she struggled to breath properly, "doesn't live beyond its first breath."

The healer had been knocked unconscious when he was shoved to the side, having hit his head. Eydie looked at the Roman and sneered despite her lack of air. "Empty threat. If you burn down this village, the king will want your head."

The Roman shook her roughly and then called out to one of his men who had been waiting by the door outside. They produced rope and Eydie found herself being gagged before the man let his grip on her throat slacken. Her hands were yanked roughly behind her back and Eydie felt scarred as she struggled but found it pointless. She had no weapons, she couldn't run and she couldn't fight back in her condition. "Cynric," she whispered through the cloth in her mouth as they dragged her out of the hut and into the street.

People had gathered and she could see from the looks on their faces they wanted to help her but went brave enough to stand up to the soldiers. She didn't blame them and she wasn't going to ask for help because it wouldn't do any good.

She felt like a fool. Cynric had been right and now she was in the worst situation she could be in.


	18. Chapter 18

**This is a note going out on all of the stories so there if you receive a number of updates, this is the reason.**

**Okay all, well I am pretty much giving up on writing stories on this profile. **

**Aside from the fanfiction story: The Silver Lining all the others will eventually be deleted. And "Beyond the Grey Horizon" will be published under my new account once I have finished revamping the chapters I presently have written. The same might go for All That I'm Living For, An Enemy's Daughter and A Lion's Heart; if I ever feel the motivation to rewrite them and rework them. Blind Faith has already been moved over.**

**With that said I am saving the downloadable versions of all the stories into a folder and to those who would like certain stories or the "wrestling folder" I can happily send you them. This is my rough plans, I still am undecided on the matter; I may end up writing to one or two of the wrestling fanfictions that I have up (Little Darlin' and such) but otherwise, I just cannot be bothered with struggling and sending myself nuts with trying to complete most of this fics. **

**Ladies, this does not mean that I have never appreciated your support and the itty bitty bit of success that I gained while writing a number of these fanfictions but I am moving forward to write actually novels with the hope of getting them published one day.**

**I love you all so much and as I said, if you would like certain copies of fiction or the fandom folders I will be saving them all to. Let me know asap!**


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